Rolling over in crib

Kristina - posted on 02/25/2009

My son rolls over all the time when he should be sleeping too. He knows how to roll over the other way, but he doesn't seem to want to. He'd rather cry until I come in and roll him back. Very annoying, I admit. He's fallen asleep on his tummy a few times (I guess too tired to cry for help!). I put my son to sleep in a sleep sack, which prevents him from getting his legs between the slats of the crib.

Mary - posted on 02/25/2009

My doctor told me never to use anything like sleep positioners....I am not sure why but thats what he said.....no sleep positioners or bumper pads.  My son is 7 months old and rolls allover the place and has yet to hurt himself...and he does the same thing...legs through the bars.  The doctor said once they learn to roll leave them be...they will sleep how they want to sleep.  I found that his advice works for me but you need to do what makes you feel better.

Danialle - posted on 02/25/2009

I use bumpers, my son is strong enough to turn his head away from them and we have had no troubles.

Kate - posted on 02/24/2009

I totally agree with the mesh bumpers. My daughter has been rolling all over her crib since she was 4 months and was smushing her face into the regular bumpers. We too kthem out and she was waking up every hour getting stuck. We have had not one single problem since we bought the mesh bumpers. Worth every penny!!!

Sue - posted on 02/24/2009

use a mesh bumper. it's breathable, thin, and prevents limbs from getting stuck. it also helps with keeping pacifiers in the crib and not on the floor.

Jena - posted on 02/23/2009

My daughter rolls around too. Mostly when she is trying to fall asleep. If she rolls onto her tummy and starts crying, I will go in and put her back on her back. We put a blanket over her body and tuck it under her mattress a little. This helps some, but she can easily get it out and roll over if she wants. Sometimes she falls asleep on her side, which I think is really cute. I let her do whatever she is comfortable with, though she almost always starts crying when she gets on her tummy, so I just turn her over.

Tiffany - posted on 02/22/2009

Stephanie, that's a good idea! If the bumper is under the mattress that 2 inches it will allow more airflow than it would have otherwise!

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Stephanie - posted on 02/22/2009

i tried 2 different sleep positioners and the only one that worked for me was the munkchin one... but then she started to learn how to turn anyway! i would definitely re-consider putting the bumper pad back on if you took it off... then slip in down about 2 inches around the mattress. this way she can't get her arms and feet under it but it's still there to block her from getting stuck. hope this helps!

Charmaine - posted on 02/22/2009

My little girl is 7mths and she also does it. I was also worried so I put her in the sleep positioner,however, she has worked out how to maneuver her body so that she can still sleep on her side or tummy. Just be careful as if they are determined enough it wont take them long to work out how to still get their own way. I no longer use the positioner because given she has worked out how to turn I have found it to cause me more worry because once she turns herself on to her tummy she is stuck in the positioner and can't turn herself back on her back and I get scared that she will do that in her sleep and not be able to hold herself up long enough to cry and wake me. I have gone in to check her a number of times and she is face down in the mattress trying to get herself out and I almost had a heart attack so I stopped using it. My pediatrician said that some babies prefer alternate positions and now I just let her sleep the way she wants and have found that she has the strength and space to move around her cot so if she moves into a position where she can't breathe as well she moves herself into a different position.

Emily - posted on 02/21/2009

My son started doing that right around 6 months.  His doctor said if he was old enough to flip himself over that it was fine.  She said I should still put him on his back when I lay him down, but not to worry if he flipped over.  I know they say you shouldn't use bumper pads, but I have read the same thing about sleep positioners.  You can also buy breathable bumpers that don't have ties. 

Tiffany - posted on 02/21/2009

My daughter would wake up because shecouldn't roll when we used the sleep positioner... she would struggle against it with her eyes closed and eventually wake up crying in frustration... every night when we set her in the crib she rolls onto her side and hooks her little feet into the bars, I think it is comforting for her, and she has never gotten stuck!

Amira - posted on 02/21/2009

thanks everyone for your help :) i think i'll use the sleep positioner which i put away at 5 months thinking that she outgrew it!

Serena - posted on 02/21/2009

I use a Safe T Sleep for my 7 month old.  Not sure where you are from but here in New Zealand you can buy them at most baby shops and it is worth it's weight in gold.  You strap it to the cot then use other bits of material with velcro on them to wrap the baby and hold them in place.  You can also use these on normal beds right up to king size, handy if you're staying away from home or for when they start sleeping in a big bed.  (also used for my 2 year old) http://www.safetsleep.com/ Hope this helps.

Serena

Megyn - posted on 02/20/2009

You may try a sleep positioner. When our son started doing this at 3 months while still being swaddled, we put a weighted box in his crib, so he couldn't roll over.

Rita - posted on 02/20/2009

I think that's what they made bumper pads for, although your not supposed to use them. My daughter sometimes gets stuck after she wakes up, and she tells me about it with her voice. The chance that your little one gets seriously hurt is slim, they make cribs about as save as they get now a days. If I were you I'd check her every few hours and if she's alright several nights in a row, then relax and let her tell you if something is wrong.