Sleeping on tummy....

Mrs.HisOnly · July 2010

I remember Jen asking this back when Emma was "new" but I forgot what the verdict was.

J loves sleeping on his stomach and will sleep longer stretches that way. I know it's not a good idea to let them sleep like this over night because they could suffocate themselves but is it okay for naps? If not, when can we start putting him on his tummy to sleep? He slept on his stomach on our bed from about 7am till 11:30am this morning as was fine. If he's comfortable he doesn't move much in his sleep. He stirs much more when he's on his back or side.

TIA!

LizC78 · July 2010

My DD was a tummy sleeper-- the NICU started her that way because they said that is how babies feel most secure but they had her hooked up to all the monitors. So we bought the angel care heartbeat monitor and let her to continue sleeping on her tummy.

DS was allergic to milk and had a horrible time as a baby so I used the same heart monitor with her and let him sleep on his tummy too..

If I put them on their backs they had a real hard time sleeping. But I did feel much better having the monitor..

FutureHernandez · July 2010

I think the verdict was do what's best for you and your baby.

I didn't put Matthew on his tummy for naps because I knew he would love it and would give me a hard time at night sleeping on his back. So I didn't even try it. Personally, I wasn't comfortable with him sleeping on his tummy and Lord forgive something would happen, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. But that's me--I'm an extremist.

rach312 · July 2010

I know not everyone will agree with me on this one but I believe good sleep habits are formed during nap time too. I have not/will not rock her to sleep for a nap because I don't want to have to do that at night either. I always put her down on her back for a nap because that's how I wanted her to sleep at night (well when she was little anyway - now she goes however she wants). I wanted her to be used to it. Babies (especially new ones) will sleep when they are tired. I feel like you have to train them to do it the way you want. Yes, he might sleep better for naps on his tummy - but he'll want to sleep that way at night too and I'd be too nervous with him so small.

I may have just been blessed with a good sleeper, but I've done this from the start and she's always slept well - both naps and at night. She was STTN young and always takes nice naps.

Good luck on whatever you decide. You'll know what is right - mama instincts always seem to know the right way to guide you.

SoontobeSavino · July 2010

we did tummy sleeping, including overnight, at 2 weeks. I needed the sleep and he slept better!

nicole0719 · July 2010

From research ive done it seems like SIDS is greater in tummy sleepers. And from what I remember its not that they neccessarily suffocate but air circulation is not as good around their mouth and nose and they could possibly be breathing in the carbon dioxide they exhale instead of oxygen which they need - resulting in SIDS. He's still little, if you start back sleeping now it will get better - I always had to swaddle little E for sleep so he wouldnt jolt himself awake

It does get better with time!

MariM · July 2010

I was too scared to allow Nadia to sleep on her tummy until 4-5 months when she started rolling on her tummy by herself. Even then, I'd still lay her on her back. Do what you can live with.

allison8878 · July 2010

We swaddled Quinn until 6 or 7 months (he loved it), so that kept him a back sleeper. He finally started flipping over to sleep on his tummy between 10 months and 1 year. At that point, we felt better about it but still always put him down on his back for nap and bedtime.

I do agree with Rachel that good sleep habits are formed during both naptime and bedtime and consistency helps breed a good sleeper.

Albah · July 2010

The recommendation is to put babies to sleep on their backs...it is at the cornerstone of trying to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Many moms choose not to put their babies on their back since they may sleep better on their stomach but that is a personal choice. I always placed my baby on his back; they do get used to it; you train them and they learn. Eventually with time, he showed what his preference was and he would go on his side or flip to his front.

MrsLeanna · July 2010

I put Alexis on her side when she was itty bitty, with a rolled up receiving blanket behind her and one in front of her keeping her in position. I also had the Angel Care monitor.

MellyMelB · July 2010

Sophia has been a tummy sleeper since she was 8 weeks old - naptime and bedtime. We also had the AngelCare moniter which was awesome.

KT&BG · July 2010

We tried very hard to get L to sleep on his back and he absolutely hated it. We managed to get him to sleep at night and for naps in a swing when tightly swaddled for the first 2-3 months before finally getting the Anglecare Monitor when he started breaking out of the swaddle. As soon as we switched him to sleeping on his belly he became a much better sleeper and we finally got some rest.

We love that monitor, and next time around we'll probably try to encourage back sleeping again for as long as possible (especially until the baby has at least some head control), but we'd also be willing to swap to tummy sleeping sooner than 3 months again if it meant getting more sleep.

Snshine · July 2010

We held out for 6 weeks with Noah, probably 6 days with Kate. Thankfully we weren't high risk for SIDS and no one called CPS.

southmiamiwifejen · July 2010

Snshine:
We held out for 6 weeks with Noah, probably 6 days with Kate. Thankfully we weren't high risk for SIDS and no one called CPS.

LOL.

You need to do what you are comfortable with. You are an informed, loving, responsible mom. You KNOW that the statistics say that back sleeping reduces SIDS. You just have to make the decision that you can live with. I started putting Emma to sleep on her side almost immediately and switched her to her belly by 6 weeks. We used the AngelCare monitor as well. I was pretty well-versed in the SIDS prevention literature and that didn't stop me. The bottom line is that no one knows what causes SIDS. There are certain precautions you can take, and whether you take ALL of them or pick and choose which work for you, it doesn't make you less responsible of a mom. Emma slept with a pacifier and with a fan near her crib, both of which studies have shown can reduce the risk of SIDS. We also let her sleep on her belly and had a bumper on her crib. So there you go. I felt comfortable with all of my decisions, but I can understand why other moms might feel differently. Maybe if I had a different personality or if the idea of SIDS had scared me more, I would have tried harder to "train" her to sleep on her back no matter what, but at that point I just wanted to do what I could to make her sleep for longer than 1.5 hours at a time. We all have our things that make us tick or get under our skin, and letting her sleep on her belly was not one of those things for me. Good luck!!!

Gator09 · July 2010

My son slept on his back until he was able to turn himself which happened fairly early at 3 months. The thing with SIDS is it occurs randomly and without real explanation. From the classes I attended the teachers said that since the new guidelines for sleeping patterns and such have come out SIDS has decreased over 50%. Why risk it? I feel that way about the breathable bumpers as well. Yes my nieces and nephews had regular bumpers...but that does not mean all kids made it through and it is such an easy thing to change that can put ones mind at ease. That is just my opinion though and you have to do what is best for you.

wrenr · July 2010

I very much recommend trying to swaddle him. DD1 didn't like back sleeping much but when we swaddled her very tightly she slept a lot better. We swaddled her till about 4 months I think. Don't use those premade swaddle blankets with the velcro. Get a rectangular blanket (fits better) and get him as tight as you can. Actually, I think there's an "escape-proof" swaddle video on UTube I think, although I didn't see that till she was much older. That being said, DD2 has slept on her tummy a lot and now she flips so much that I don't even know which way she's sleeping anymore.

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