Is it ok for my 7 1/2 mn old to sleep on her stomach?

Marisa - posted on 09/09/2010

I was not comfortable with her on her tummy at first because she could not roll back if she needed to. So I put her on her belly more and more during the day so that she can master the roll over so I felt more comfortable with her on her belly at night. She was not a belly baby to start. She hated it and would cry. Now she sleeps on her belly. No matter what she seems to end up that way when she sleeps.

Khloe - posted on 09/09/2010

my daughter does the same thing. i put her on her back to sleep but sometimes i find that she rolls onto her stomach to sleep. i just make sure theres nothing around her face and that her face is to the side so she can breathe ok :)

Natalie - posted on 09/09/2010

Yes...I have had my son sleeping on his belly since he was 3 months old. Yes I know it's wrong but I had spoke to his doc about it and he said that they had to do the same with there daughter...We just took that chance. My son now sleeps on his back go figure but yet he is also crawling and pulling himself up in his crib now. So she will be just fine.

Jessie - posted on 09/08/2010

Once they start rolling there really isn't any way to stop them from sleeping on their bellies.

Hayley - posted on 09/08/2010

My daughter started to roll over onto her tummy in her sleep at 4 months old, i spent all night moving her onto her back! When i saw my health visitor she said if she is rolling herself over then its fine. So now we both sleep a lot more peacefully! x

Jennifer - posted on 09/08/2010

Everyone is afraid of SIDS, of course. But my doctors have been telling me to put my daughter on her back to sleep, so I did and it worked for about two months. One day I decided to put her on her stomach because she kept fussing on her back, it was like magic. She slept through the night on her stomach at only 2 months old. Like many have said already I think it's just best to go with mommy instinct in terms of how your child sleeps, no matter their age. But it's completely normal and ok for them on their stomachs once they can roll around...you won't be able to stop them anyway! lol

Samantha - posted on 09/07/2010

Once they can easily roll both ways its fine to sleep in whatwever position they are comfortable, but its even more important now not to put things in the crib that can suffocate them. Dress her in warm PJ and don't use a blankets, pillows, stuffed animals big enough to cover her face.

Tena - posted on 09/06/2010

@Sarah, I was the same way - the doctors told me something different with each of my kids. My oldest tummy sleeping was the "proper" way to prevent sids, my middle it was side sleeping and with this one they say back to sleep. I just go with mommy instinct and what is comfortable for that particular child. Since Christena has gotten older she never stays put in her crib like I lay her anyway. She sleeps all over the place and every direction.

Maja - posted on 09/06/2010

both my son and my daughter slep on their tummy right from the birth. and they were just fine, still are.

Sarah - posted on 09/06/2010

My son does the same thing and we've had no problems. My mom said they told her different things with each one of us five kids. (When I was born they told her to lay me on my stomach). So it just depends on how your baby is comfortable. :)

Kim - posted on 09/06/2010

ever since my son could roll over he has been sleeping on his belly...if i lay him down on his back to sleep he will NOT sleep and just screams..

Karina - posted on 09/06/2010

My son is always put to sleep on his back, but within the last three weeks or so, sometimes when we go get him again, he has rolled over on his tummy and sometimes has his knees tucked under, so that his bottom is sticking up in the air, which looks funny. It worried me at first, but then when I tried to correct him and put him back on his side (his other favourite sleeping position) or his back, he would just roll over back on his tummy in his sleep (or stay on his side). I don't worry about it anymore, because he can roll over front to back, and back to front, and can also turn his head, so he is all right.

Danielle - posted on 09/06/2010

@Brooke- is that to say that you also breastfeed on demand whilst co-sleeping b/c these things are theorized to reduce SIDs rates as well.

SIDs is one of the few things that scares the crap out of me and it's probably from the fact that I'm sleeping and can't actively protect my babies so I feel helpless against it.

I think in most circumstances, back sleeping in safer as it has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS. The reason it reduces the risk is because they don't sleep as well on their backs. If they're not able to drift into a deep sleep, then they're more likely to wake up should there be a problem. This is the same logic behind saying that pacifiers or nighttime nursing lowers the risk- because the active suckling keeps the baby semi-alert. I'm sorry but it's incorrect to say that "they" don't know *how* these things work.

The back sleeping and suckling work by keeping the baby in a light sleep. Safe cosleeping is said to help by keeping the baby's heartbeat and breathing in rhythm with moms and Dr. Sears has a theory that having the baby in such a close proximity keeps the baby physiologically healthier thus better equipped to deal with any issues that should arise. Obviously the recommendation to keep blankets, pillows, and loose bedding away from the baby is to avoid suffocation.

With all of that said, my youngest was a tummy sleeper from birth. He had some reflux issues and laying him on his back caused him physical pain. There's also a heightened risk of asphyxiation if you put a child on their back when they're spitting up so much. It's much better to put them on their side or stomach so they can turn their heads easier.

So with my youngest, we just went with what was safest for HIM. Once he started rolling, I stopped stressing over his tummy sleeping. If they can roll, it's fine.

I hope I didn't come off like a know-it-all but I've done lots of reading on the subject and wanted to share that they do have theories as to why these things help. It's not all just a stab in the dark. What they don't know is what causes SIDs but that's not the same as not knowing how these preventative measures work.

Jackie - posted on 09/05/2010

I know my son can roll off his belly if he needs to so when i check on him at night ( like we all do) i know he is ok if he is on his belly

Anita - posted on 09/05/2010

I think the SIDS thing has really got every parent stressed out. We had a baby that did die from SIDS in our social group and that mother did everything right. And I mean everything that everyone has written down here. I wouldn't worry about her sleeping on her tummy... my baby girl did and apparently both my sister and I did from babies as well. Babies actually are smart enough to know to avoid covering their noses and mouths so they can breathe. They naturally tilt their heads across and sometimes due to wind or a full tummy it is more relaxing for them to sleep on their bellies. Good luck!

Lindsey - posted on 09/05/2010

Hi Angela,
both my girls started to sleep on their tummies once they had learned to roll over, and did it of their own accord. No matter how many times I try to get my youngest to sleep on her back she will always roll over in her sleep, and seems to be more comfortable. Just make sure you take the usual precautions - make sure she can breathe properly and she/the room is at the right temperature. I would most certainly consult your Health Visitor (or US equivalent if you are US??) as they deal with babies every day, alternatively your GP to make sure you are getting the right advice.
Once babies can roll over this is perfectly normal though. x

Jessica - posted on 09/04/2010

My daughter has been sleeping on her stomach since she was about a month old. We discovered that she liked it better than any other way. She is just fine.

Mary - posted on 09/03/2010

My daughter would roll to her side when sleeping at 4 days old but she didn't start rolling all the way over to sleep until a couple months ago. I still lay her on her back every night and let her decide how to sleep - it's almost always her side and by morning she's on her tummy.

Brooke - posted on 09/03/2010

Remember that researchers don't know WHY, they just know that sleeping on the back has cut SIDS deaths by a huge percentage. They don't even know why it works, but for some reason, it does. You can also cut SIDS risks by not overheating your baby, keeping the nursery between 59 and 71 degrees F, and keeping a fan going, not having a soft mattress or any blankets... There are a bunch of things you can do. But just remember that the researchers are just guessing why these things work... But what matters js that they work. I do all of the above and then pray too... I know two families who have lost babies to SIDS and so for me, I will do every single thing I can,

Katarzyna - posted on 09/03/2010

my son at the beginning fell asleep on his back but now as soon as he learned how to roll on his tummy he sleeps both positions, the most important is for our cuties to brith easly

Lindsey - posted on 09/03/2010

If your baby is strong enough to roll over, she's strong enough to sleep on her tummy. It would still be smart to stick to the "SIDS" guidelines of only using light blankets and not puting anything else in her crib, but as long as you practice smart-parenting, she'll be okay.

Melissa - posted on 08/31/2010

My daughter started rolling over when she was 2 months old and since then there is no stoping her from sleeping on her stomach. She hates laying on her back and refuses to do it.

Tena - posted on 08/31/2010

You should be fine. Most babies actually sleep better on their tums. All of mine were tummy sleepers from point one.

Lissete - posted on 08/30/2010

My daughter has been sleeping on her stomach since she started rolling over at almost 5 months. This is the only way she will sleep; she doesn't like being on her back.

Priya - posted on 08/30/2010

My son sleeps only on his tummy... even if i lay him down on his back or side he turns over.. He hs been sleeping that wat since he was 5 months old..

Lindsay - posted on 08/28/2010

heidi, i was in the complete same boat as you, my LO would not sleep on his back, i tried him on his front at a week old and voila, he slept. He was holding and moving his own head from side to side at 4 days old and was sharing a house with my parents and brothers so slept in the same room for 4 months but still prayed every night that he was ok due to the scaremongering that takes place with SIDS. I'm the eldest of 5 children and was lucky to have the support of my mum in the same house; when i was born she was advised to put me on my front to sleep, when the youngest was born she was advised to sleep him on his side (he's 13 years my junior). Times and research change and all i can advise is do what you are most comfortable with Angela, let your "mummy instinct" do the talking x

Sarah - posted on 08/27/2010

I agree with everyone else as long as your child can roll over it is ok.

Wendy - posted on 08/27/2010

Yes,it is ok now. Your LO can roll back and forth, so there for,if they can not breathe well on the tummy they now how to roll on there side or back, so it is ok :0)

Heidi - posted on 08/27/2010

I'm sure that I'll get dinged for this, but my daughter has been sleeping on her stomach since she was about a 15 plus days old. She never liked her back and I would just pray that she'd be fine. She is a bigger baby (not fat, but tall and was 8.2lbs when she was born) and she could move her head back and forth. She is fine. Our Dr. told us, "Back in the days she had kids you put them on their stomach. She couldn't tell us to put her on her stomach, but we understood what she was saying." Your child should be fine, but if you don't feel comfortable, then you have to do what's best for you and your comfort level. Good Luck :)

Kortney - posted on 08/27/2010

im sure its okay. my daughter now completely rolls over and turns around in her crib..i lay her on her back to sleep and in the morning she is on her stomach on the opposite side of the crib

Lucy - posted on 08/27/2010

yeah as soon as they are able to roll then their fine to sleep on their tum, my daughter also goes down on her back with her blankie and then she normally rolls onto her tummy, tucks her knees under and sleeps with her botom in the air lol x

Jessica - posted on 08/26/2010

Once they can roll, they are fine. My son prefers sleeping on his tummy. I just always start him on his back and then he gets comfortable himself.