DS wants to sleep on his side

katigox · November 2012

Hi ladies,

Well the title says it all, doesn't it? My DS is three weeks tomorrow, and for the past few days, he only wants to sleep on his side. I think it has to do with gas. Now he will lay on his back (after sleeping on his side, on my chest for at least twenty minutes), but no more than two hours (usually he sleeps anywhere between three and three and a half hours). Now two hours isn't bad of course, but when you shave off that extra hour for every naptime, well - it adds up by the end of the day!

I'm fine with him falling asleep on my chest, and then putting him down, but at night, I'm falling asleep, too - and want him to sleep in his bassinet for safety reasons (scared he might fall off of me and I'll roll on him!). Does anyone know if it's okay to prop him up on his side in the bassinet? I mean, it seems like there might be too much of a risk of him rolling over on his face, but I also don't feel that safe just laying him on my chest for three hours a night in the bed either :S

I want him to be comfortable, but more importantly safe: any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance

Karen1998 · November 2012

DS slept on his side from birth. He'd flip himself onto it. When I asked the pedi about it, she was fine with it (even swaddled) so long as he put himself there and I didn't position him there.

SouthernBellaKS · November 2012

I wouldn't recommend propping him on his side. It's one thing if he's reached that point where he moves himself there. We also used the RnP because E would not lie flat on his back and sleep at all. I also recommend being proactive with gas drops if you think that's what it is. But I totally recommend the RnP as a possible solution. We had a feeling it would work because he would sleep fine in his bouncer or swing which both elevate him. Once he hit about 5 weeks, we started having him nap on the couch next to us for a little bit at a time to get him used to sleeping flat on his back, and now he'll sleep fine (when he doesn't have to go to the bathroom) as long as he's swaddled. The swaddling just keeps him from jarring himself awake with is arms.

katigox · November 2012

SouthernBellaKS:
I wouldn't recommend propping him on his side. It's one thing if he's reached that point where he moves himself there.

That's what I was thinking . . . We finally invested in a good swing today (ours was a used one, which had worked just fine before he came, but broke as soon as he was born, go figure!) He's been sleeping in it for hours already!

I think he just likes being up at an angle, so I might check out that RocknPlay, too ~ thanks for the suggestion ladies!

ewilliams1127 · November 2012

The RnP saved my sanity! Really! Best thing I bought thus far for DS. He had reflux so he would only sleep on me like you described and i would fall asleep, too (same fears as you led me to the RnP as suggested here). Just beware transition can be tricky, but at this point safe sleep is priority! Worry about transition when the time comes!

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