Can we discuss sleeping on stomachs?

cd92007 · August 2014

Obviously, the rules are no sleeping on stomachs. But my MIL, who watches DS while we are at work, has really been pressing the issue. In fact she let him sleep on his stomach for a nap and I found out later. I was sooooo mad. But the problem is, DS isn't napping at all and she was desperate. Yesterday she was with him for 8 hours and he maybe got an hour of sleep, but all broken up. She tries everything.. Rocking, paci, swaddle, etc. But apparently he slept great on his stomach the one time she tried it. So it's gotten to the point where we are asking ourselves... What's worse for him - sleeping on his stomach, or him not getting the sleep he needs? And on a side note... I have an angelcare monitor so it would sound an alarm if god forbid he does stop breathing on his stomach. He's also not rolling yet. And I plan on bringing this convo up with our ped, but wanted to bring up the topic here first to see if anyone is in a similar situation.

hlm184 · August 2014

M is napping on his stomach mostly now. It's the only way he'll sleep without the swaddle. He can roll from stomach to back so I'm not too worried.

cd92007 · August 2014

@him184 but does he sleep on his back at night? I worry if we start the stomach sleeping during the day he will want to do it at night too. And my DS isn't rolling yet

hlm184 · August 2014

He sleeps swaddled, on his back at night still, with no issues.

UnofficiallyLO · August 2014

DS naps on his stomach during the day when I am awake to observe & sleeps on his back at night.

strawberrytree · August 2014

LO naps on his stomach during the day. It's the only way he'll nap in his own bed longer than 15 minutes and I need that time for my sanity. He has good head control and rolls front to back (although he didn't when I started putting him on his tummy). I checked on him all the time at first because I was nervous but I'm much more relaxed about it now.

hlm184 · August 2014

How do you get him on his side, @mamrotu73 ?

hlm184 · August 2014

M always falls over if I put him on his side, haha.

katy4128 · August 2014

Ever since DS has been rolling all over the place he has been sleeping however he wants..side, back or stomach. Before he could roll, it was just back sleeping.

joyfullyfound · August 2014

DS naps in the swing or in a carrier, but he sleeps on his tummy all night. So did my DD... I do find they sleep much better that way.

MamaFantastic · August 2014

I get the worry. As a FTM I was militant about back sleeping. As a STM I value sleep and sanity more. We started letting T sleep unswaddled on her belly about 2-3 weeks ago (at 3.5 months). For the most part it has felt like a wise decision. She has fantastic head and upper trunk control and can roll belly to back very easily. This is definitely an area where time and motherhood have mellowed me out about following the rules.

Mustardseed2007 · August 2014

This would worry me a lot and I probably wouldn't do it. It would worry me less if I was the one watching her when she was doing it, but since it's going to be a caregiver (even your MIL) it would just freak me out to much, TBH. I would probably work this weekend to figure out how to get my LO to sleep for naps on his back and then work with my MIL to give her my tools.

But I was going to suggest that if you do it, then go out and buy an angelcare monitor. Since you already have one that is really good. Also second the idea of no objects in the crib and make sure you have a firm mattress.

We lost an infant at 5 weeks in our family (not my child, my sister's) and this effects my thinking on back sleeping a lot. But tbh I don't know how my niece was sleeping when she died or if it would have made a difference.

ETA: I hate bringing up that incident. There are so many things out there that people say, if you do this your kid will DIE. And it's like - calm down! But I feel compelled to say it b/c....well I feel it's one of those things that doesn't seem real until it's are terribly real, KWIM. But I also totally think you gotta do what works for your family and for your child. Good luck OP!

reillyea · August 2014

Baby girl has been sleeping on her tummy since about two months. She has great head control, We are right across the hall and use a monitor. Honestly I never worried about it for us. I think everyone situation depends.

Kyllarae · August 2014

Eden has been sleeping on her stomach at night and for naps for about a month now. She just started rolling both ways this week. Her head control at tummy time is great so I don't worry about it.

hlm184 · August 2014

mom2boxers said:

Our pedi asked if LO was rolling over yet and I said no but that he was trying and I've moved to a wearable blanket just in case he does it at night. He said that he's noticed since the recommendation went to sleeping on the back that kids don't develop the rolling skill as soon and some skip it all together.

On a side note - for all the moms who do have them sleep on the tummy - do you think the stimulation they get from being able to look around when they are on their back contributes to them not being able to go to sleep as quickly as they can if they are on their tummy?

Our problem is the moro reflex and stretching. He does it so much on his back that it wakes him up if he's not swaddled. Doesn't do it on his tummy though.

rtv3 · August 2014

DD sleeps on her tummy for naps, either on me or in her crib. At night she sleeps swaddled on her back. She has rolled once from belly to back, never from back to belly. She's 3 mo on Sunday.

Jenn06L80 · August 2014

My girls love to nap on their stomachs too. However at 4 months they still don't have good head/neck control and can't roll. So I only let them nap on their bellies for 20-40 minutes when I am watching.

hlm184 · August 2014

mamrotu73 said:

His hips are tipped a bit forward, but his lower arm keeps him on his side. I make him practice rolling side to back during tummy time a bunch to be extra safe.
Ok. He just went down for a nap. Here is what it looks like on his side. You can see how his top leg is flipped forward to keep him from rolling to his back. And his bottom arm Is out to keep him from rolling forward. I think his big cloth butt helps keep him in place a bit, too.

That's so funny cause I was thinking the big cloth dipe is why M keeps rolling onto his back when I try t put him on his side!

moonsparkles · August 2014

So this might seem like a stupid question but do all your tummy sleepers enjoy tummy time?

pbandjmom · August 2014

DD just started side sleeping last night. I would guess once they want to do it naturally it's just fine.

hlm184 · August 2014

sakm said:

So this might seem like a stupid question but do all your tummy sleepers enjoy tummy time?

Now that he can hold his head up, yeah. Before it was torture.

goblue4433 · August 2014

I have a honest question and don't mean it to be snarky at all-- for those of you that say you keep an eye on for naps, if the baby stopped breathing couldn't it still take 5-10 min to notice? My MIL has been fighting us on back sleeping and says "she's nearby" but my argument is that unless she is truly focused on him, she might not notice. I know I'm usually running around while he naps so it very possibly could take me a bit to notice

LO also sleeps pretty well on his side/back so for us, it's not worth it but would definitely be a different situation if he wasn't sleeping unless on his tummy

mallyandryan · August 2014

My son has been on his stomach for naps for a few weeks. Before that he was sleeping on his side. If I put him on his back, he would roll to his side. Now he is rolling over both ways and has excellent head control. Now, I lay him on his stomach for all sleeping.

J&NL · August 2014

IMO, a baby sleeping on his stomach while watched by a parent (or in your case the grandma) is fine. If you can trust that she will keep an eye on him then I don't see the big deal.

I let DS sleep on his stomach for naps, especially if he has been fighting sleep all day. However, I watch him like a hawk.

For night time, when he gets old enough to roll over on his own then I will just leave him.

J&NL · August 2014

@goblue4433 if you are that stressed out about it, you could invest in an angel care monitor. That way you can let him sleep on his stomach and you can also monitor his breathing constantly.

strawberrytree · August 2014

sakm said:
So this might seem like a stupid question but do all your tummy sleepers enjoy tummy time?

He loves it...he'll happily do tummy time for like 20 minutes at a stretch.

bmayora · August 2014

DD is a tummy sleeper. Naps and bedtime. She just started to tolerate tummy time this week. I'm so happy!

Grace682 · August 2014

DD has been sleeping and napping on tummy since 2.5 months. It's the only way she sleeps as well as us. Discussed it with pedi and she said you gotta do what works for both baby and I did just that. Good luck.

hlm184 · August 2014

I'm thinking I'll put M down unswaddled and belly down for bed tonight. Might as well see how it goes, right? Naps have been great.

moonsparkles · August 2014

I just put LO down on tummy. He slept for twenty mins instead of ten. So thats a 100% improvement.

diamondtaurus · August 2014

So glad I saw this tonight. Last night DD woke up screaming like we've never heard...I rush in there to find her face down, with one arm swaddled and the one that was out was pinned underneath her. Plus her foot was stuck in one of the slats of the crib! I unswaddled her, but this continued all night. She would roll on to her side, then tummy, then get stuck and (I guess) get scared or confused or whatever.

So...tonight we are using a sleep sack that zips around her more snugly than just just a sleep sack, but arms are still out. They say these are safe to use when they start rolling, correct? What I'm most worried about is that she doesn't know how to roll from tummy to back. So then what??

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