Johanna - posted on 09/30/2009 ( 60 moms have responded )
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Is it ok to let my 3mo old slep on her stomach? Sometimes thats the only way she can fall asleep. i usually let her but only when I can be in the same room as her... i've heard back sleeping reduces the risk of sids but her grandma says not to worry...
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Kayla - posted on 02/18/2012
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Kim, when my newborn was just born in Jan, most the nurses would bring him back to my room swaddled and propped on his side. I am not sure why they did that, but I guess it can't hurt.
Kayla - posted on 02/18/2012
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Devin Long, my oldest son is two and he did the same thing. When he was on his back he would stop breatheing and then when he would start again he would throw his arms up in the air and jump. My mom had 4 kids, every last one of us slept on our bellies, back then they told you to do that. All of us did just fine. My grandma had 4 kids as well, all did fine sleeping on there backs.
Kayla - posted on 02/18/2012
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It is perfectly safe to put a baby on there belly. The "Back to sleep" is only a theory and has yet to be proven. My son sleeps better on hi belly. Also, babies who sleep on there back are at higher risk of being autistic.
Danah - posted on 12/10/2009
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Quoting Kim:
My son had an overactive startle reflex so it was impossible to sleep him on his back. We started sleeping him on his side around 2 weeks old. By the time he was 6 weeks old he managed to wiggle on to his tummy all by himself. It is his preferred sleep position and we continue to encourage him to his own comfortable sleeping position. By the way, his sleep patterns became better when he got himself cosy, sleeping 4-5 hours in a row at night by 11 weeks!
Danah - posted on 12/10/2009
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Quoting Amanda:
OMG listen to you all, I am sure everyone knows that we are told "back is best" however if a baby wont sleep then obviously back is not best. As long as you are happy to try it I say go ahead. We all risk our babies lives when we take them out in the car or walk down the street with them in the push chair too, but I bet you wouldn't think twice about going out for a drive. If your baby sleeps well on its tummy, do it, if you both get a good nights sleep why not? Sleep deprived parents and babies can often be more of a risk than what way you let them sleep!
i agree wit you!
Kim - posted on 12/10/2009
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My son had an overactive startle reflex so it was impossible to sleep him on his back. We started sleeping him on his side around 2 weeks old. By the time he was 6 weeks old he managed to wiggle on to his tummy all by himself. It is his preferred sleep position and we continue to encourage him to his own comfortable sleeping position. By the way, his sleep patterns became better when he got himself cosy, sleeping 4-5 hours in a row at night by 11 weeks!
Amanda - posted on 12/10/2009
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OMG listen to you all, I am sure everyone knows that we are told "back is best" however if a baby wont sleep then obviously back is not best. As long as you are happy to try it I say go ahead. We all risk our babies lives when we take them out in the car or walk down the street with them in the push chair too, but I bet you wouldn't think twice about going out for a drive. If your baby sleeps well on its tummy, do it, if you both get a good nights sleep why not? Sleep deprived parents and babies can often be more of a risk than what way you let them sleep!
Danah - posted on 12/10/2009
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Quoting rebecca:
Quoting danah:
Quoting rebecca:
and just because these women have gotten away with it, doesnt mean you will..i would read about SIDS and the statistics.
its not about getting away with it, ive heard of babies dieing from sleepiing on there back so theres a balace here, it could happen either way!!!! and i saw on the tv on good morining that a woman was sleeping on one half of the sofa with her baby on the other half of the sofa on his back and she woke up and when she picked him up he was dead, and they told her he over heated!.
he didn't die from sleeping on his back , he died from over heating, that is a risk as well.
eaxctly, babies can die from over heating wether they are on there back or tummy!!! if youy read wat i said you wouldnt of come out wit your comment! i said he over heated! if he was on hes tummy you would of said it was cause he was on his tummy! and all i'm saying is i think its just as dangerous as letting yoyr baby sleep on there back,
Rebecca - posted on 12/09/2009
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Quoting danah:
Quoting rebecca:
and just because these women have gotten away with it, doesnt mean you will..i would read about SIDS and the statistics.
its not about getting away with it, ive heard of babies dieing from sleepiing on there back so theres a balace here, it could happen either way!!!! and i saw on the tv on good morining that a woman was sleeping on one half of the sofa with her baby on the other half of the sofa on his back and she woke up and when she picked him up he was dead, and they told her he over heated!.
he didn't die from sleeping on his back , he died from over heating, that is a risk as well.
Devin - posted on 12/09/2009
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My son's been sleeping on his stomach since he was about 6 weeks old, he's now 6 months... we've had no problems. I actually watched him very closely and noticed he stops breathing for short periods of time when he sleeps on his back. I feel safer with him on his tummy, I slept like that as a baby, my uncle, brother and my mom slept like that as babies, and my son won't fall asleep any other way. If you're really worried there's a breathing monitor that you can buy that goes under baby's crib sheet and it has an alarm on it to let you know if your baby stops breathing for a certain number of seconds. My personal opinion is that if your baby can turn her head from side to side she's probably old enough to move if she's not getting enough air. Still, I keep a fan on for my son and keep all loose bedding and toys out of his crib just in case.
Jessica - posted on 12/09/2009
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They aren't 100% what cause SIDS... there have been many different cases.. not just sleeping on their belly.
Danah - posted on 12/09/2009
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Quoting rebecca:
and just because these women have gotten away with it, doesnt mean you will..i would read about SIDS and the statistics.
its not about getting away with it, ive heard of babies dieing from sleepiing on there back so theres a balace here, it could happen either way!!!! and i saw on the tv on good morining that a woman was sleeping on one half of the sofa with her baby on the other half of the sofa on his back and she woke up and when she picked him up he was dead, and they told her he over heated!.
Quanetta - posted on 12/08/2009
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PS, just don't sleep to hard!
Quanetta - posted on 12/08/2009
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You r so right! i fell the same way all i can say is if your not keeping and eye out a lot could happen in a second.
Quanetta - posted on 12/08/2009
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WOW that is good never heard about that one where could i fine one
Quanetta - posted on 12/08/2009
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It is very much ok just keep a eye out and she will sleep like a "baby" lol and you will too!
Rebecca - posted on 12/08/2009
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and just because these women have gotten away with it, doesnt mean you will..i would read about SIDS and the statistics.
Rebecca - posted on 12/08/2009
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ok well, do you have the PARENTS magazine for this month? there is a huge article in it about tummy sleeping and SIDS..the reason they say no is because when babies sleep on there tummys their breathe is expelled onto the bed and back onto their noses where they breathe it back in..and expelled breathe is carbon monoxide...so they are poisoning themselves. when they sleep onto thier backs it goes into the air and away from them. If you still do it..turn a fan on in the room, dont point it at him though, or he will get a sinus infection. the fan will circulate the air and the carbon monoxide, also they said sucking on a pacifier reduces SIDS by 54%, so give him that. I would try to find another way though.
Kiara - posted on 12/08/2009
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ive let my son sleep on his back since he came out of me and let me say i have/had NO PROBLEMS he sleeps better that way. I know u thinking OMG IS SHE CRAZY!!??!! whenever hes on his back he jumps in his sleep and i didnt like that so i turned him on his stomach. Sleeps all night long he's 6mnths now.
Jessica - posted on 12/08/2009
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My son is almost 6 months old and he has always slept on his belly... He wont sleep any other way. I got an Angel Care sensor pad monitor that goes under his mattress in his crib that beeps if there's no movement for 10 secs and sounds an alarm if no movement for 20 secs so if he stops breathing I will know.. It really eased my mind.. I was also a belly sleeper as a baby.. My mother says not to worry also!
Danah - posted on 12/08/2009
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i've let all 3 of my childrten sleep on there back, and they are 4,2 and 6m, and my 6m old has been sleeping on his back since a couple of weeks old, you sholud do what u feel is right and you as a mother know wats best, so dont let others influence you in your choice
Danah - posted on 12/08/2009
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Quoting Jennifer:
It increases the risk of SIDS. Enough said.
i dont think you right there it could happen wether your child is on there back or stomach!! i have 3 children and all 3 ofthem slerpt on there stomach, its just as dangerou on there back, they colud chock on there own vomit on there back
Andrea - posted on 12/07/2009
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well that accually isnt safe to sleep on their stomach cause it is dangerous beacuse of suffercation , one minute you are looking and the next she or he could be in a wrong postion. you gotta watch for that, better to be safe then sorry
Kim - posted on 12/05/2009
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You know... they say it's not a good idea because of SIDS but honestly... how many of us are here today and slept on our stomachs when we were babies? My sisters are teenagers and they both slept on their tummies... and my daughter has been from about 6 weeks old - when she stopped sleeping in her bassinet (she hated it) and we moved her from our bed to her own room.
Give your baby a breathable bumper, a breathable blanket (like a crocheted quilt) and keep toys and other objects out of the crib, and she'll be fine.
But I'm just one person.
Jessica - posted on 12/03/2009
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I think once they have good head/neck control and can hold their heads up the risks go wy down. My almost 6 month old has started rolling over to his belly in his sleep- there's no way to stop him and no way I'm going to wake himup all the time flipping him back over. He has wonderful head control by this point so I'm not worried,
Krissy - posted on 12/02/2009
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Once your lo can roll her self over onto her tummy, then she'll be fine. until then, go with sleeping on the back.
Nyla - posted on 12/02/2009
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i've researched sids and they say it is due to gases being released form the mattress, there is a mattress protector you can purchase for only $30 from NZ and apparently there has not been a single case of sids from parents using this cover, www.babesafe.com sells these, go onto their website and have a read. and overheating doesn't help as well
Kelsey - posted on 12/02/2009
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It should be ok. Just do everything else you can to reduce SIDS risk such as using a fan and breathable blankets or a wearable blanket. Dont let him get too hot.
Tracey - posted on 12/02/2009
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I agree with everyone on here. As long as his neck muscles are strong enough for him to hold his head up, it shouldn't be a problem. The problem with them sleeping on their stomachs when they are newborns is that they can't lift their heads and may suffocate in their sheets. I wouldn't worry about it, but keep a monitor close. You'll know if they are struggling.
Cori - posted on 12/01/2009
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My son had stomach problems and REFUSED to sleep on his back. He has been sleeping on his tummy from the start. We did a few things to decrease the chance of SIDS for tummy sleeping. We don't have anything extra on the bed that he could get to. We got "breathable bumpers" (a type of mesh material bumper that allow babies to breath through them if they get up against the sides of the crib). We keep a fan on low in the room. We wash his bedding often.
The idea of SIDS from sleeping on tummies is because of carbon dioxide getting trapped in bedding or babies suffocating on bedding. I don't like that he sleeps on his back but we try to make it safer.
Rachael - posted on 12/01/2009
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My baby has been sleeping on his stomach ever since he was a few weeks old and could hold his head up, and it was because he hated sleeping on his back so much, he figured out how to roll himself. He survived. I was born in the 80s and slept on my belly, and I survived. Do your research and you will see (from ACCREDITED sources), that there is NO proof that it reduces SIDS to sleep on their back. They only say that because of the timing... but many other things have happened since then. One example is that, in the early 90s, more people became aware (or decided to start giving a damn) that smoking indoors with a baby can be extremely harmful (and cause SIDS, among other things), and the smoking rate dropped. as well. That is only one of many examples. Educate yourself and you will see that it is not the big freakin' deal that everyone makes it out to be! Btw, as long as their neck is strong and your don't keep a bunch of stuff in the crib, they won't suffocate. Enough said.
Brandy - posted on 11/28/2009
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In my opinion the best way is on their back on a slight incline. My baby sleeps in a boppy pillow so she is slanted upward and secured so she can't roll over. Sleep on their stomache can cause sids because the fabric of the sheet or a blanket can get pushed up over their nose or they can turn their head in the middle of the night and may not be able to move it back and then they suffocate. I bet if you just kept trying to get her to sleep another way she will eventually learn. It will be hard but it would be worth it to me so that I don't have to worry about her suffocating.
Elise - posted on 11/26/2009
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PS> No one really knows what causes SIDS. Some that died from it had other underlying conditions. But many suffocated for sake of not having the strength to move when it was necessary. Like I said before, many years ago it was deemed UNSAFE to let your child sleep on their back. Now all of a sudden, it is unsafe to let them sleep on their stomach. I would not put them on their stomach if they are not strong enough to hold themselves up. My daughter would not sleep on her back, only her tummy, but has always been strong enough to get up and move hre head from side to side.
Now they say to remove bumper pads, and the old cribs have been recalled with the drop bars... What else will they say next to take away, the clothes off their back?
Elise - posted on 11/26/2009
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Hello, its a very difficult and touchy subject. Everyone does it differently. Apparantly, many years ago, it was Unsafe to put a baby to sleep on their back for sake of them choking on their spit up. Now, they say its unsafe for them to sleep on their tummy. Myself and my two sisters all slept on our stomachs. When my daughter was born 6/18, the nurses swaddled her up and put her on her back... she screamed bloody murder. My mother-in-law rolled her to her side just to see what happened, and she got quiet; not asleep but quiet. From day one, my daughter slept on her stomach - BUT - she was strong enough to pick up her head and move it side to side since she was born so I was not worried. As I said, to each his own. If you feel ok that your child is strong enough to move if needed, I would go ahead!
Virginia - posted on 11/23/2009
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When doctors started telling parents to have their babies sleep on their backs, the rate of SIDS dropped by about 60%. A lot of babies may have survived sleeping on their bellies, but a lot didn't. I personally wouldn't take that kind of a chance on the most precious thing I've ever had.
Charity - posted on 11/23/2009
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my son sleeps on his belly! the doctors say it reduces the risk of SIDS if they sleep on their back however this is changed several times over the years when i was a baby they told my mom to put me to sleep on my belly however when my brother was born it was recommended to sleep on their side it changes based on statistics every few years so i believe if thats how your baby sleeps then let them be!
Catherine - posted on 11/23/2009
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Not that this can be extrapolated to any specific baby, but the most recent study on babies (in Germany) published this year in the Journal of Perinatology again showed prone (stomach) sleeping as a risk factor for SIDS.
Jennifer - posted on 11/19/2009
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I agree with your grandma. My baby was sleeping on his tummy since he came home. I kept an eye on him and I still do today and he is almost six months. My dad even told me back then they didn't do all of that. He said me and my brother all slept on our belly's
May - posted on 10/13/2009
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i read that stomach sleeping increase the risk of sudden infant death ,i never let mine sleep on her stomach
Brittany - posted on 10/12/2009
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I have a 4mth old daughter and at first i was a little skeptical about letting her sleep on her belly. But, at some times i feel it may be neccessary for her to sleep on her tummy. For example i layed her on her stomach because she had been choking on mucus all day. I heard her from my bed which is in the same room as her crib throwing up. When i looked she had threw up a thick vomit. Just imagine if she were on her back, she may have choked.
Heather - posted on 10/12/2009
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Both of my babies were and are stomach sleepers. Both from a very early age. I worried and worried and kept that baby monitor nearby but both are happy and healthy. Neither daughter would sleep well on their back - they both flailed around and kept waking up even when after being bundled so I just let them sleep on their stomach and they are fine.
Rosanna - posted on 10/09/2009
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Honestly, from the studies the doctors have said sleep on their backs until it is safe for them to roll over on their stomach by their self. I personally think it is retarded to let me children sleep on their back. Only reason i say this is because my children have thrown up all over their faces at some point when sleeping on their backs. It got in their noses and all. I now let me girls sleep on their sides. I also do this so they wont get a flat spot on the back of their heads. I do know you should have ventilation in the room; a fan. Also, i have read they should be in your room until 6 mts old to help prevent sids as well. I cant say go with my idea but this is what i have learned with trial and errror.
Tyshani - posted on 10/09/2009
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Ever since my daughter Tahiri was born, she's wanted to sleep on her stomach. We didn't want anything to happen, she we got one of those slightly elevated sleepers with permanent cushions on the sides and we would lay her on her side. She loves it and since she has gotten older, she's started sleeping better on her back. She still sleeps on her belly for naps when she's in the room with us.
Abbie - posted on 10/09/2009
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My son is about 3 1/2 months old. He has never been a back sleeper. He slept on his back for the first two weeks after I had him home because I thought I had to go by the book on everything. I started letting him sleep on his belly during the day while I watched him and he did fine. He now sleeps on his belly all night. I found that her even sleeps longer on his belly. Every baby is different, but if you are comfortable with it, I would try it!! Good luck!
Natalie - posted on 10/09/2009
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Perhaps you should be considering the possiblity that your 3 moth old can only fall asleep on her stomach? Does she get painful wind or reflux and the pressure eases the pain. The medical recommendation is not to let your baby sleep on their stomach until after 6 months, I would err on the side of caution if I were you. There are bound to be other ways you can get your baby to fall asleep, e.g. go for a walk with her in the pram.
Kirsty - posted on 10/08/2009
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it depends i think, i let kiyah sleep on her side im a paranoid person though i let her sleep on her belly once but she was on my lap. i work in childcare so im aware of different situations and stuff
Hope - posted on 10/06/2009
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i let my son sleep on his tummy when im in the same room with him bc usually he sleeps longer that away. i always make sure nothing is in his face. and i didnt start puttin him on his tummy until after he started to move his head around fine. now he is starting to roll in his sleep to his tummy. i heard after they start rolling in their sleep there is no need to really worry.
April - posted on 10/05/2009
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They say "back is best" but I think whatever way they will sleep is best! Plus, her little neck muscles should be strong enough to pick up her head so I think it should be fine. As far as grandma, think about all the "horrible" stuff they put us through and we made it just fine!!
Allysa - posted on 10/05/2009
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My daughter would never sleep on her back, except the two days we were in the hospital. Since the day we got home from the hospital she has been sleeping on her belly because she wouldn't stop crying if i layed her on her back.
Georgina - posted on 10/05/2009
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i have 2 girls one is 18months and the other 4 months they have both slept on there bellys since they where a few days old as neather of them will sleep on there backs. i knoe theres alot of studdies that say it's unsafe but i think people worry to much i have 3 siblings and we all slept on our bellys and are all fine the only time ya really need to worry is if ther is cot death (or whatever they wanna call it) in your family.
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