back or tummy to sleep- WWYD?
I know it is recommended that babies sleep on their back, and we have sure tried! Quinn has slept in the RnP at nights since he came home, and napped wherever during the day. My problem is- he sleeps best on his tummy. This is something we noticed right away when we would put him for tummy time. He would wiggle and be super content and pass right out. He also had a gassy tummy for a long while and it was the only way he could work out those little farts on his own. He refuses to nap flat on his back, and would sleep in the RnP- I think only because of the incline. Up until now I would have him nap on his tummy wherever I am so I could be near him and keep checking him, and then on his back in the RnP for nighttime.He has been STTN about 80% of the time.
Now we are trying to transition him to the crib and he will not even lay in it on his back. We tried several times last night to put him down in the crib on his back- dead asleep each time- but at soon as he was laid down he woke right up and screamed. I flipped him onto his tummy (awake and upset even) and he crashed immediately. I tried rolling him over after he was asleep but as soon as he was flat on his back he woke up and screamed.I finally let him sleep on his tummy, and he slept almost 12 hours solid! I was worried though, and slept with the monitor beside me and checked on him every time I woke up.
So my question is this- Would you let him sleep on his tummy even though you arent supposed to? or would you try to "train" him to sleep on his back even though he doesnt like it?
I should mention he has very good head control, can hold it up and turn from side to side, but has not rolled over on his own yet.
TIA!
Re: back or tummy to sleep- WWYD?
will he sleep on his side?
LO likes to sleep on his tummy too, but I can't stop worrying when he's sleeping on his tummy at night, so I have trained him to sleep on his back. Now that he's rolling over more, he rolls himself onto his side to sleep 95% of the time.
btw how did you go about training him?
Nora just started flipping herself to her tummy to sleep 2 nights ago. I put her on her back, but she rolls herself to her tummy.
I think I would continue to put him on his back until he can roll himself, but that's just my personal comfort level.
Baby Whisperer (I feel like this is my answer to everything and it must be super annoying)!
Basically I wind down, swaddle, and do the 'go to sleep' routine, I hold him upright after he's swaddled and pat/shush him for 5 minutes. He is usually still awake, but very relaxed and drowsy after the 5 minutesm, and I lay him down on his back.
I would put one hand on his legs and gental push down so he would not kick himself into a frenzy. With the other hand I would pat his shoulder and continue shushing. When he seemed to be more asleep, I'd pick up my hand (but if he started moving I put it right back). For about a week, I did this at every nap/bedtime and not only did it help him not struggle to get onto his side/tummy, but it helped him learn to fall asleep in his crib. Anytime he's having a hard time sleeping or waking up too early, I pat/shush him to sleep in his crib.
I wonder if it works without being swaddled. Quinn doesnt like to be swaddled anymore. He decided he hated it when he was about a month old and we havent done it since.
I would try this, with a pillow or two under one end of the mattress. You could also put a rolled up receiving blanket under the crib sheet on either side of where he sleeps so it makes it a little more snuggly for him. Like PPs, I wouldn't be comfortable putting him to sleep on his tummy unless he is rolling over. To get DD to sleep in her crib instead of her swing for naps, we had to rock her to sleep, lay her down in crib, pick her back up when she immediately started crying, re-rock to sleep, lay down again... rinse and repeat until she stayed asleep after laying her down, which probably took 5-6 tries every naptime the first few days. Now she either stays asleep or rolls to her side (she can't roll all the way to her tummy yet) and falls back asleep.