Belly sleeping

Alyssa - posted on 10/26/2012

If you look up safe T on google in shows that you can easily place babies on their sides in the safe T and they are not able to move to roll onto their bellies or back. This would prevent choking and would prevent belly sleeping

Kate - posted on 07/03/2011

Kate Neels, you will have the same problem if you swaddle, use a dummy or any other sleep aid, I know my daughter can sleep without it, she has before.

They didn't bring the back to sleep campaign in for nothing or just for a bit of fun, more babies die on their stomach then they do on their back, it is very unlikely that a baby will choke while on their back, I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but the chances of that happening are a lot lower then the risk of SIDS if you put them to sleep on their stomach, otherwise if the numbers were higher for babies choking while on their back they would advise against putting them to sleep on their back.

Tina - posted on 07/01/2011

I think the best thing to do is ask your pediatrician about it- I'm hesitant to say use pillows because of the possible health risks.

Kate - posted on 06/30/2011

Kate Le Breton, you do realise that when you take your daughter out of the safe t sleep, you will have to re teach her how to sleep. i know about 14 people who have used them for their first borns, and refuse to touch them as they refuse to sleep with out the safe t sleep. you say you know dead babies from sleeping on their tummy...well i know babies that have died from being forced to sleep on their back, and choking. i would be more concerned on whether or not there was something like a dr sprots cover on the matress all not, as the toxins released by the dist mites are more dangerous. my daughter was/is mainly a slide sleeper. she sleeps on her stomach during the day and side at night. and the night that she started choking on her own vomit was the night that i decided that i will never force her to sleep on her back.

Ann - posted on 06/24/2011

My twins have been sleeping on their belly for quite some time now (they are 2,5 yrs). In Belgium we have pillows where they fit in, so they stay on their back or on their sides. But my girls hated those pillows. You might wanna check if you or your partner sleeps on the belly. If so, the chances are that your boy will keep sleeping on his belly;
We never pushed our girls to sleep on their back or on their sides, but always made sure that there was nothing to block their airways (stuffed animals, ...)

Angela - posted on 06/24/2011

I prefer the "belly sleeping" better than on their back. I guess I'm old fashion. But I had an experience at the hospital with my daughter who is now 17.

When she was born, the nurse wrapped her up and set her down. I had asked her not to put her that way, that I prefer either belly down, with her head turned or on her side. Well, she went into a whole lecture and put her on her back. It wasn't five minutes, that my daughter started choking. I got up and suctioned her mouth and got out a big blob of blood that she must have swallowed it while she was being born.

Well, the commotion that I caused and the talking down I gave her and her supervisor on their instructions had them re-exam their routine. But I bet you they still kept putting those babies on their backs. Oh Well.

All my children and grandchildren have slept on their tummy without an issue.

If you want him to stay on his back, they sale pillows that curve around the body to keep in one position.

Good luck.

Sarah - posted on 06/11/2011

both my sons have been sleeping on the stomach since i brought them home. they would cry and cry if i put them on their back. i would wake up all the time to check on them. but if hes already rolling then u shouldnt worry. but talk to ur doc if ur still worried

Shellee - posted on 05/18/2011

my baby would NOT go to sleep on her back i tried everything. i let her fall asleep on her belly and i went to go lay her down on her back and she would wake up. all the time so i let her sleep on her belly and she loves it. i know docs say not to but there was no other way to make go to sleep.

Mirie - posted on 05/13/2011

I leave mine to sleep the way he want's to. Most babies like to sleep on their bellies and it's better for them when they've got to start crawling. Babies that don't like it on their belly don't like to crawl.

Ghada - posted on 05/08/2011

i think it is a good way to sleep , this way there will be no gases in his stomac at all , and he will not be in pain. and believe me if he feels that he can't breath he will raise his head and direct his face to the comfortable side that he can breath on.

Kate - posted on 04/27/2011

I use a product called a Safe T sleep wrap, she can't roll over and its endorsed by NZ SIDS and Kids

Kate - posted on 04/25/2011

I'd rather an autistic child rather then a dead child...SIDS is not suffocation, so it doesn't matter how safe the bedding is, putting a baby to sleep on their stomach has shown to increase the risk of SIDS...Pretty sure a lot of those mothers out there probably trusted their instict, now they will never hold their child again

Tan - posted on 04/25/2011

My daughter has been a tummy sleeper from 2 weeks old. she can rarely sleep on her back even if swaddled. I did some research on SIDS and found that there are big spikes in SIDS on holidays such as 4th of July and New Years. I think that lots of SIDS deaths where the infants were on their tummies could be from being on inappropriate bedding etc. I have continued to let my daughter sleep on her tummy but I make sure the bedding is perfect and the mattress is firm enough. I also started to wonder whether the Back to Sleep campaign causing so many flat heads has had anything to do with the autism epidemic.
Most importantly trust your instinct!!

Kate - posted on 04/21/2011

I'm constantly amazed at the bad advice I see given on here, if you want to practice dangerous sleeping practices then do it, but don't encourage others to do the same using the it won't happen to me or its so rare speech, SIDS can and does happen, while there is no known cause it has been shown that stomach sleeping increases the risks...It is true that once they start rolling onto their stomach there is not much you can do and that the risk of SIDS drops at 6 months then dramatically at 1yr old, but it was also the way some of my friends babies have died because they rolled onto their stomachs or were put there, I lost my son to SIDS in 2009 so I personally don't think the risk is worth it at all, my daughter started rolling over during the night so I bought a product called the Safe T Sleep, it eases my mind and makes sure she is safe while I sleep...And no the Back to Sleep Campaign doesn't cause unneccesary worry, it sounds like apparently it doesn't get through to enough people and people should listen to the experts a little more

Zuri - posted on 04/19/2011

My daughter is 6 months has always liked sleeping on her tummy. I would only put her down for naps when I would be in the same room with her and never at night but ever since she learned to turn herself over that is the only way she will sleep. It worried me at first but now I am more used to it. She likes to sleep with her face up against something (the bumper of her crib being her fav) which freaks me out more then the stomach sleeping and I still check on her often and use the moniter at night.

Denise - posted on 04/19/2011

My daughter has been sleeping on her tummy since she was about 3 months. It really freaked me out because I was scared! I was constantly checking on her and hardly slept. If I flipped her she would cry.
I asked my doctor about it and he said once they start rolling a parent can't do much. Especially at night because moms needs sleep to. So I know this is not helping but hopefully it will put you a little at ease.

Pamela - posted on 04/18/2011

Don't. Once they can roll over on their own, there is no need to worry. : )

Agata - posted on 04/18/2011

all my babies started rolling at around this age (5 months), but i still warpped them at this age as they liked the comfort of being swaddled tight. no real chance to roll, but as soon as i stopped wrapping, they rolled to sleep on their tummies also. mum always said that when we were kids they were told that tummy was best - but the chance of SIDS does lower when baby can roll.
the risk is scary for any parent - i couldnt imagine losing a baby that way. but in saying that - as long as there are no extra things in cot and baby can roll independantly - it should be ok.

Talia - posted on 04/17/2011

my eldest daughter did it from 7 months on an now still does it she cant sleep still, but the drs told me not to worry cos she could move if she needed too, aslong as they know to turn there head when they cant breath they r fine, wonder if my 6mnth old will do it, funny thing was when my eldest did it she would sleep on her belly but if it was belly time after a whuile she hated it

Talia - posted on 04/17/2011

my eldest daughter did it from 7 months on an now still does it she cant sleep still, but the drs told me not to worry cos she could move if she needed too, aslong as they know to turn there head when they cant breath they r fine, wonder if my 6mnth old will do it, funny thing was when my eldest did it she would sleep on her belly but if it was belly time after a whuile she hated it

Karin - posted on 04/17/2011

My son was a tummy sleeper from around 2 weeks old. He couldn't settle on his back. This distressed me quite a bit as I was constantly worried he would suffocate being that small and not being able to lift his head. But, he slept 12 hours straight from when he went onto his tummy and still does as a 5 month old. He has excellent head control and I believe this has helped him in sitting unaided from 4 months of age. Now your wee one is older he has the head control for you not to worry. If he sleeps ok, let him be. No point worrying yourself over it and losing sleep. Here in New Zealand we have Safety Sleep systems that wraps around the mattress and the babies middle section and keeps them in their desired sleep position and stops them from rolling (but allows them to shift around to re-settle) Just make sure your cot is free of any toys, bumpers or anything else they can lie on. Also, make the cot at the bottom half of the cot if you are not already doing so. A sleeping bag will keep him warm if he wriggles free of his blankets in the night. Please don't stress, he is growing up and getting much stronger :-)

Meghan - posted on 04/16/2011

Oh thank God... I found this post all week I have been stream lining my daughters crib she was in a sleep sack and now we put double sleepers on her because she has been rolling onto her tummy in the middle of the night. And i have been scared to go to bed because its like she sleeps on her forehead, It has been making me so nervous! Thank you for the rest of the posts.

Jessica - posted on 04/15/2011

When my son started rolling over he sleeps on his belly to. I just check on him every so often to make sure he hasn't rolled too far into the bumber pad. I've never had a problem though. He rolls all around in his sleep. I wouldn't worry about it. Just put him to bed on his back and if he rolls over then he rolls over.

Jaclyn - posted on 04/14/2011

Dont countinue to roll him on to his back, in doing so you can cause him to have a flat head in the back. I have 4 children all of which slept on their belly from birth. I think the back to sleep campaign cause needless worry.

Charity - posted on 04/13/2011

I personally, believe there is nothing wrong with letting babies sleep on their tummies. My mom did it with all 6 of us and I have done it with my babies. I feel SAFER. Because if he chokes, the saliva or spit up will land on the bed and it won't get caught in his throat. As long as the bed is free of extra blankets and such, your baby is perfectly safe.

Nikki - posted on 04/13/2011

My son slept on his tummy from 4 weeks old. He hated sleeping on his back and would scream because he was on his back. To this day he is still a tummy sleeper.

Ashley - posted on 04/13/2011

My son is the same way! It freaked me out the first time, I could not sleep. Like everyone is saying, if they are strong enough to roll over they will just do what is comfortable for them.

Shante - posted on 04/12/2011

yeah, our Dr said as soon as they can roll over you still can put them to sleep on thier backs, but once they can roll over the scare of SIDS drops so significantly to not worry about it at all if they roll themselves over to their belly

Amy - posted on 04/10/2011

The back to sleep rule is really for babies who are not able to pick up thier heads or roll themselves back over on thier own. My doc told me not to worry about it as my little girl is the same way.

Mandie - posted on 04/06/2011

My daughter did the exact same thing as soon as she learned how to roll over! I believe when I looked into it and asked my doctor, I was told it's not worth worrying about because they should be able to roll right back over if they need to. They don't recommend putting your baby down on their stomach for sleeping, but if they roll onto their bellies, there's pretty much nothing you can do about it - especially when you have a stubborn one like I do :)