Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Stomach Sleeping

Sorry if this has been discussed, I tried looking and couldn't find anything. LO is 8 weeks old and is refusing to sleep on her back. I have tried the RnP, basinet, and all kinds of swaddling. As soon as I put her down she wakes up. When she finally does fall asleep she is grunting and snoring and thrashing her arms around(she is frustrated and tries to suck her thumb.) The past 2 nights I put her in the PnP on her tummy and she slept almost 6 hours! She was comfortable and was able to suck her thumb. I know I am supposed to put her on her back. My question is: Who has their baby sleep on their tummy? Have you asked your doctor and what did they say? We are seeing the doctor next week but I wanted all of your opinions. Thank you :)

Re: Stomach Sleeping

  • We have never intentionally put any of our LO's to sleep on their stomach.  It's safer for them to be on their back, but I know some people have done it, and it works for them. 
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • It all depends on if you are willing to take the risk. It doesn't matter what we do. Since 1994, the risk of SIDS has dropped over 50 percent because of the Back to Sleep campaign. Here is an article from the APA about the history of the Back to Sleep campaign.

    https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/Profile-of-SIDS-Risk-Shifts-After-Launch-of-Back-to-Sleep-Campaign.aspx

                                                              

  • Loading the player...
  • We tummy sleep and got the angelcare monitor. 
    There were many sleeping factors that were changed during the Back to Sleep campaign, not just sleep position. Things like requiring an autopsy on all SIDS cases, soft bedding, mattresses, allowing blankets & objects in the crib, smoking risks and awareness of all SIDS risks was greatly increased.

    With that said, it's still safer to have them on their back because the current theory of SIDS is related to the baby's inability to detect levels of carbon dioxide and also the baby's sleep arousal mechanism.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/health/442876/Cause-of-cot-death-found


    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I wouldn't chance it, especially with the proven drop in SIDS with the Back to Sleep Campaign.

    Have you tried swaddling with her hands near her face?
  • The chance of a baby dieing of SIDS when sleeping on his/her stomac is 1.1%. If a baby sleepes on his or her back the chance of SIDS occurring is .6%. The chance of SIDS occurring is very rare for an individual. I had this discussion with my ped

    That being said just like what was pp there are many factor to SIDS occurring. You need to do what is best for you.

    Hope this helps a little
  • mstamantmstamant member
    edited January 2014
    My daughter was the same way. We found that propping her on her side helped a ton! Then we would remove the prop when she was out cold. Hope this helps!
  • Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. I did decide to put her in the RnP last night. I sat on the side of it and had my hand on her for about an hour until she fell asleep. Hopefully every night gets better. I will save the tummy sleeping for supervised naps and for when she can roll herself.
  • One thing to keep in mind is that prior to 1994 doctors recommended that babies sleep on their stomachs. So that's how my parent's generation out all babies to bed. And while everyone mentions that SIDS was reduced by 50%, they don't mention that the reduction was actually less than 1% in probability of occurrence. In my mind that's not statistically significant - though even one baby is significant.

    With all that being said, have you tried swaddling and low rumbly white noise and a pacifier as recommended in the happiest baby sleep book by Dr. Harvey Karp? He swears by it, and the first night we tried it LO went from waking every hour to sleeping in two 5 hr blocks.
  • Agree with the above book- even better- get the DVD on amazon. Who has time to read?! Plus, I am a visual learner and seeing the different swaddle helped . We also do pacifier, white noise and vibration under mattress (friend swore by it and gave it to us ).Go ahead and laugh- but we get 6-7 hrs !i'll do anything for that!
  • edited January 2014
    My LO kept trying to suck his thumb and would "punch" himself awake at night. We bought the Merlin's Magic Sleep suit the night we transitioned to the crib and it's been blissful (most nights) ever since. He sleeps like a rock on his stomach when he's on my chest, but this is a close second. Hope this helps.

    Edit: FWIW, I wouldn't get a wink of sleep if he was sleeping on his stomach at night.
  • CFox815 said:

    @mailmansbabymomma

    I've had the magic suit and we decided to introduce it tonight, as my son will only sleep in the swing but we're making a push for the PNP tonight. What does LO wear underneath the suit? Also, I was nervous to wash it. Did you just wash and dry yours as you wash other baby clothes?

    We put him in a onesie the first night and he woke up cold! Now we put him on his regular footed pjs and he's just fine. It's filled with polyester so there's not as much extra warmth like I thought there'd be by looking at it.

    I just washed and dried it with his regular clothes, but turned it inside out and dried it for an additional 15 minutes because the pits and crotch were still damp. I love it.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"