Sleeping on Tummy

HI! One of my 5 month old triplets rolls onto his tummy to sleep both while I'm in the room, and of course after I leave the room. I have gotten mixed reviews on this. I flip him back over (he hates me) but he just rolls right back. My doctor and one mom told me it's a SIDS risk and I have to use some type of contraption to keep him on his back. All the other moms told me if he flips himself, he's okay. The sleep positioner is too small for him and he wiggles out of it and flips over. Any ideas??

 

My opinion would be that if he can flip over to his tummy then he is strong enough to support himself that way and flip back if needed. Also if you use a sleep positioner that he will unavoidably move around at this age then that is likely more dangerous for him then not using one.

 

I agree with pp. Mine did the same thing and when I asked my pedi, she told me that as long as they were strong enough to lift their head (which they are if they are strong enough to roll over), then it would be a never ending battle. I went several nights with no sleep, flipping them over and over and finally had to accept that they were going to sleep on their tummies. My DD even slept with her face straight down in the mattress - at 21 months, she still does this sometimes?? You have to do what you feel is best. Good luck!

 

I will echo what the others are saying. When they start to rollover on their own they should be able to have control over their neck positioning to keep them from having their face buried in the mattress. My DH is a Fire Fighter and EMT and has had a lot of classes on trainings regarding SIDS and it's pretty vague and wide spread. I wouldn't worry too much. You want your LO to learn to keep rolling over from back to front and visa versa so I wouldn't (personally) move him back over every time he's on his belly.

Both my boys started out sleeping in those little sleep positioners and after 3 months or so started to flip over, even in the sleep positioner, to their side or belly. They now sleep exclusively on their bellies without issue.

Try not to worry too much.

 

I agree with the others, once they can flip it's fair game.

 

Ditto what others have said - once they can roll over on their own you can let them sleep whatever way they like! Both of my girls sleep on their tummies and sleep much better because of it.

 

I agree too, no reason to keep waking them up to flip them back. Mine are sleeping on their bellies and if I flip them over they just wake up and they are only 3 months old.

 

Ditto the rest-once they start flipping-it's a lost cause. It's a new world for them! They can MOVE! I never bothered to flip them back. I figured if they could flip, they could do it again...and again...and again...

And Annabella never slept on her back. She wouldn't have it. She was a tummy sleeper from the get go.

 

I agreee! My DD was a tummy sleeper and I tried to use a positioner...and to my horror I found that she had wiggled her way down and it was around her head! You have a strong baby who is strong enough to support himself now.

 

Thanks! All but one other mom told me the same thing, but I am of course worried about SIDS. My husband thought we could buy one of those motion detectors that goes under the mattress. I kept rolling him and waking him up and he was soooo mad! Poor baby! thanks!

 

Poor thing! You know he needs his sleep so that he can spend his day flirting with my little ladies!! Love you, J!