i need to break this habit

inthelost

recently the ONLY way my daughter will sleep is on her tummy! I know you're not supposed to do this, but this is the only way to make her happy. I will place her on her back but she will cry and cry until i place her on her tummy and she will NOT sleep. As soon as I turn her over to her tummy, she'll fall right asleep. I thought I would be smart and let her fall asleep on her tummy, and then turn her on her back once she was asleep, but a couple of minutes later she will wake up and cry until I put her on her tummy again and then she falls back asleep. I don't know what to do! It really worries me b/c of sids and I know you're not "supposed" to do this, but it's the only way to keep her happy and the only way she'll sleep...please tell me what to do. how do i get her to sleep on her back? is it really so terrible that she's a tummy sleeper?

olga1311

Try putting her on her side maybe? A lot of newborns don't like sleeping on their backs but side sleeping seems to be safe according to our pedi.

ProudMommyER073113

My DD will be 3 months on 10/31. She sleeps the best and is most comfy on her tummy. I am guilty of letting her do this for naps only when I can constantly check on her, never overnight. I am so tempted to try it though but I just get a bad feeling in my gut about doing it over night. She has excellent head control and can lift herself up with her arms when she is on her tummy, but she has not rolled yet.

For you side sleepers though, how do you get baby to sleep on their sides? With a pillow or something? DD has side slept with a pillow for naps as well, but not overnight. I thought nothing else was to go in the crib or is a pillow for side sleeping OK?

Sorry OP, I have no suggestions for you, just more questions to add! DD sleeps in a rock n play in our room but I am looking to the future when me make the switch to the crib.

SummerBabyLove

ProudMommyER073113 said:

For you side sleepers though, how do you get baby to sleep on their sides? With a pillow or something? DD has side slept with a pillow for naps as well, but not overnight. I thought nothing else was to go in the crib or is a pillow for side sleeping OK?

I am also curious about this.  DD is still in her RNP and the few times that we have attempted to place her in her crib, she either wakes up immediately when we put her down or within a few hours.  I am now back to work and value all the sleep I can get.  I can't keep getting up with her to try to get her back to sleep.

kelseyjohnston

My son will sleep on his side at night, and on his back during the day. Weird. haha. Good luck!

mkb5g5

ProudMommyER073113 said:

My DD will be 3 months on 10/31. She sleeps the best and is most comfy on her tummy. I am guilty of letting her do this for naps only when I can constantly check on her, never overnight. I am so tempted to try it though but I just get a bad feeling in my gut about doing it over night. he has excellent head control and can lift herself up with her arms when she is on her tummy, but she has not rolled yet.

For you side sleepers though, how do you get baby to sleep on their sides? With a pillow or something? DD has side slept with a pillow for naps as well, but not overnight. I thought nothing else was to go in the crib or is a pillow for side sleeping OK?

Sorry OP, I have no suggestions for you, just more questions to add! DD sleeps in a rock n play in our room but I am looking to the future when me make the switch to the crib.

DS doesn't sleep well on his back. He is almost a month old and has been side sleeping since nearly birth. After delivery a nurse told us side sleeping was better and showed how to prop him with a rolled wash cloth. Once home we never use pillows or propped him up in his crib, just positioned him. but he started rolling on his side at about 2 weeks so he also does it on his own

KE6411

Our pedi recommended my DS to sleep on his tummy due to his reflux. Pedi told us he was an exception to the rule. Since putting him on his tummy to sleep his reflux has gotten better. We usually rock DS to sleep on his side the put him on his tummy when we put him down.

June2007

DS doesn't need anything to prop him to sleep on his side. He just kind of stays that way. He is swaddled though so that probably helps.

slh6363

Try swaddling or maybe have her sleep in something a bit snug like a RnP. I know those aren't really recommended for overnight either, but I would think it would be better than tummy. My LO hates being on his back during the day but as soon as we swaddle him at night (we use a Halo swaddle sack) he is just fine...it does wonders for him!

meep13

I second the swaddle sack... Works wonders for us!!!

Carnation77

Having them sleep on their stomachs is definitely not ideal.  If you decide to continue with it I suggest you get an Angelcare movement monitor for under the crib mattress and put the crib in your room.  But try everything else first before going that route.  Good luck.