baby sleeping on the belly

Courtney - posted on 08/13/2009

My daughter loves to sleep on her tummy. I think once they are able to move on their own you are supposed to put them on their back, but let them move wherever they like. Once they are strong enough to roll over and move their head, they are able to move if they are suffocating. I was a bit nervous at first but she did fine. You can't get up every 15 minutes to roll them over.

Beth - posted on 08/12/2009

Hi, I know the current recommendations are for back sleeping which has led to a decrease in SIDS but an increase in colic... My girl likes to roll onto her side to sleep (immediately after being put in her cott). I let her do that but I wouldn't want her to sleep on her tummy since she can't regularly roll over just yet. You might want to persavere with the back sleeping for quite some time yet.

Lauren - posted on 08/12/2009

My daughter has been sleeping on her belly since day 1!! She will be fine my mom told me that she used to put her 3 kids on there belly's to sleep! aLSO If your baby can roll over she will be fine!

Fathima - posted on 08/12/2009

I agree with everyone! My baby gal slept in a sleep positioner for the first 2 months cos I was so afraid of SIDS! I stopped using the sleep positioner at 3 months as her head would roll off the pillow of the positioner when she tried to turn. Now she turns over onto her belly 8 times out of 10. She has no problem turning her head from side to side when asleep and she does sleep for longer when on her tummy. Her hair growth on the sides of her head was also slow at first but ever since she started sleeping on her tummy it seems to be growing a bit better. It isn't a position I would have chosen for her myself but it seems to be the position she prefers. I sleep on my tummy and I just like to think that she wants be just like mummy ;-D ......

Claire - posted on 08/12/2009

My son has insisted on sleeping on his belly since he was 2months old! Even if we flipped hom over whilst he was asleep next time we'd look he'd be on his front! I say dont worry as long as your baby can move her head out of sick or dribble patches and tends to put her head facing to a side she'll be fine :) just keeep the cot empty of toys and only put a sheet or blamket on her if its cold :)

Cindy - posted on 08/11/2009

when they can roll on there tummy and roll back theres no stopping them

Claudia - posted on 08/11/2009

My pediatrician said as long as you have a ceiling fan on while your baby is sleeping, it's ok. Also, the main concern of this is that babies might get smothered. As long as your baby is able to lift his/her head up for air, there is no worry about smothering. Of course, don't bottle feed your baby while sleeping as this might choke him/her. I found that my baby slept better on his tummy because they don't wake up as often from sudden noises or scares. If the baby is belly up, any scare or noise causes him/her to wave his/her arms and wakes them. I too was told by the hospital nurses to have them sleep on their back, but at 6 weeks my pediatrician told me otherwise and ever since then my baby has slept at least 8 hours through the night. Hope this helps...

Rozelle - posted on 08/11/2009

My Daughter is 4 1/2 months and has slept on her tummy since she was 2 weeks old. She just wouldn't sleep on her back anymore and would cry constantly.

As for SIDS, I have lost faith in all the advice since my friend's boy died in his sleep just before his 1st birthday. He was always put to sleep on his back but that didn't stop it happening.

Jennifer - posted on 08/10/2009

You already know how I feel about tummy sleeping! I don't even let my 3 1/2 year old sleep on his tummy!!! It's not good for your body any ways!!! It's terrible for the back! LOVE YOU!!! Jen

Kathryn - posted on 08/10/2009

My daughter is 5 months old and has been sleeping on her belly for aboud 2 1/2 months. I read its good to keep a low fan on in the room so they don't keep breathing their own air (carbon m.) It made me very nervous at first but she sleeps longer and better when shes on her belly and she can turn her head from side to side and hold it up while on belly so I think now its fine. But the fan is a good idea!

Lisa - posted on 08/10/2009

Erin- I would not worry about your baby not rolling over yet. Every kid is on their own schedule. Is she eating well? Looking around and engaging with you? Then she is just fine. Her picture shows a healthy, happy baby. You are a lucky mama! :-)

Ashley - posted on 08/09/2009

My daughter has slept on her tummy since we brought her home from the hospital. I was scared at first but she would only sleep for like an hour max when she was on her back so I tried it on her tummy (I slept on my tummy when i was a baby) and she started sleeping through the night at 3 weeks. To this day she still sleeps on her belly and she is perfect!

Katie - posted on 08/09/2009

my son has been sleeping on his belly since he could roll over belly to back. i just make sure i have the ceiling fan running on low at night and during naps. a new study came out showing that having a fan on in the room can reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 70%.

Erin - posted on 08/09/2009

My daughter is 5 months old and isn't rolling yet at all. Is that slow seeing as everyone elses bubba's are 4 months and rolling already? She is getting a slight flat section on the back of her head but I am petrified, in fact paranoid, about SIDS, so I wont let her sleep anywhere near he tummy until she is much older.

Lisa - posted on 08/09/2009

My son is 5 months old and sleeps on his tummy. For the first few months he slept in his car seat and if he woke up he came in bed with us. He has been sleeping on his tummy for about a month and a half now. He will not sleep on his back in his crib. I do keep everything out of the crib. It is funny, because he usually comes into our bed in the early mornings and then he sleeps on his back. :-) I was nervous too.

LUCY - posted on 08/08/2009

its fine just clear the cribs from toys and any baby blankets or any items that the baby can get tangled in . my son has been trying to roll over since he was 3wks also ..

Courtney - posted on 08/08/2009

We figured that Penny was old enough to sleep on her tummy when she got there herself. You can't keep turning her over if she gets there. Once it happens, let it.

Leah - posted on 08/07/2009

i know that since the "back to sleep" thing came out SIDS cases dropped-with that being said.....both my kiddos prefer to sleep on their tummies. I never put them on their tummies. Once they can roll over I think it is fine. In my opinion it has to do with neck muscles. If you feel your baby is strong enough to roll over when placed on it's back then maybe it's ok to let the baby sleep like that. Always ask your pediatrician their thoughts too:) he fact that you care shows what a great mom you are. We are get nervous!! Lack of sleep due to worry?----that won't be the last time:) good luck!!

Tiffany - posted on 08/07/2009

My baby boy is almost 6 months, born on 2-25 & ever since he learned to roll over he has chosen to sleep on his tummy. It did make me a little nervous at first but I could only stay up most of the night for so long keeping an eye on him. lol. Even when I'd put him on his back he'd flip right back to his tummy. He's comfortable & sleeping well so I do too now.

Miranda - posted on 08/06/2009

thank you everyone for your responses...i let her sleep on her tummy last night and i can honestly she slept wonderfully can't say the same for myself. i was up four or five times making sure she was okay...i guess i just have to get use to it...perhaps i'm just your normal nervous first mom lol. thank you again.

Evelyn - posted on 08/05/2009

I was nervous too! My son has been rolling on to his belly to sleep everynight for the last two weeks. At first I was nervous and checking on him constantly and couldn't sleep. Now, it has gotten better with time and I'm used to it. He loves it...

Amber - posted on 08/05/2009

My son is 4 1/2 months and has been rolling back to tummy about 3 weeks. Sometime he rolls to his tummy, but most often he is on his side. When we go in his room, we leave him be. If he is on his tummy, we just make sure his nose is away from the mattress (which is always is) and let him sleep. He definitely sleeps more soundly on his stomach. If your little one can roll from back to tummy, not much you can do about it. We were really nervous at first too, but now we are just kind of use to it. It gets easier =0)

Shari - posted on 08/05/2009

My daughter has been sleeping on her stomach for a couple weeks now and is four months old. I cannot keep her on her back. As soon as I lay her in the crib she rolls over. I agree with Jessica, Don't put any toys in the crib. I do put a blanket on her when it is cold. She has been fine. I don't think there is much you can do if she rolls over.

Jennifer - posted on 08/05/2009

I agree with Jessica....my 4 month old is rolling all over the place and sometimes rolls on her belly to sleep. She's able to hold her head up enough to turn it to the side and I only have one light blanket around her.

Jessica - posted on 08/05/2009

Hi miranda,

Well I would think that if she is able to roll from back to belly and belly to back she should be fine. But to be sure I would just do practice with naps first. Just to see how she does for sort sleeps and you can keep your eye on her to see how she does before you go threw the nights sleeping. I personally recall my first son not sleeping on his belly till he was much older, I guess that was just the way he liked it, but my 4 month old now has slept on his belly just a couple times in his first month of life and it seemed to help his belly. It made me really nervous and i didn't get much sleep at all. But anyways if she can hold her head up and roll around I believe she will be fine. just don't put any toys and many blankets in the crib with her.