My 5 and a half month old won't sleep on his back!

Julianne - posted on 03/11/2009

I went through this same issue when my little guy was 5 weeks old, he just would not sleep on his back no matter how deep of sleep he was when we put him down. If he was on his back he'd jerk himself awake within 5 minutes and cry. Then my mother-in-law told me that when we were kids moms were told to put babies on their stomachs to sleep, so I read a lot about it and found out that there are a lot babies that won't sleep on their backs! We reluctantly started letting him sleep on his stomach (his bed is right beside me, so I am right next to him all night) and since giving in he has slept like a dream. He has been fine for the past 4 months and has always had good head and neck control and is hitting developmental milestones a little early.

Lindsey - posted on 03/11/2009

I have this issue as well with my 5 month old, i have lost more sleep these days then when he was a week old and waking up every 2 hours. I cant keep him on his back, i will compromise with him and put him on his side, but he will eventually flip over to his tummy, he actually sleeps great when he is on his tummy. He is also teething so that doesnt help his sleeping these days either. I asked my peditrician about this and what i should do, she told me if he is strong enough to flip him self then there is not much you can do unless you are gonna sleep in the same room as him . She said i could try a sleep positioner, that just pissed him off and made him scream, and he eventually squirmed out of it. I am hoping he is just going through a phase and he will soon go back to his back... until then i sleep less and check on him more. Sorry couldnt be more of help. let me know if you find a solution.

Tammy - posted on 03/11/2009

Thats a good point, when i was a baby my mum put all of us on our tummys to sleep (im 33),  its really hard i know....in a few more years im sure there will be new guidlines to follow.

Lindsay - posted on 03/11/2009

Just remember that until a few years ago, the recommendation from the APA was that babies should be put to sleep on their stomachs. I don't know your age, but my generation (I'm 32) slept on our stomachs and there are a lot of us around! My ped told me that almost 100% of the SIDS studies that showed babies should be put down on their backs were done in 3rd world countries where babies slept on soft bedding. Both of my kids slept better on their stomachs or sides. Before my son could really hold his head up, he slept almost face down with a pacifier many times. I just kept a close eye on him during naps to see how he was dealing with it. Generally, babies who sleep on their stomachs more often hold their heads up sooner because they learn to flip their heads from side to side. I would do some more research into the SIDS studies to reassure you that letting your son sleep on his tummy is fine.

Tammy - posted on 03/11/2009

Yep i was the same, so worried that he would suffocate himself somehow, As time has gone by i realise that as long as he can lift his head and roll over he will be fine. We always put him to sleep on his side but not long after he is on his front, and he looks so snug and is sleeping lovely, besides its only a matter of time and i wont be able to control in what position he sleeps in and i just want him to be comfortable.

Joy - posted on 03/10/2009

he will sleep any way he wants now that he cam roll. my son is the same. He was a tummy sleeper from day 1 and then discovered rolling at 4 months old and from then on he slept on his tum, his back, his side, upside down etc you name it i found him in every single position. It is a normal part of their growing I suppose.

Cristina - posted on 03/10/2009

Yes, my son sleeps on his belly as well. The ped said if he has enough motor control to flip over then the risk of SIDS is GREATLY reduced, almost no risk in fact. But she said to continue to put him on his back to sleep so that's what we do.

Lindsey - posted on 03/10/2009

My doctor told me that as soon as they can roll over on their own you don't have to be so careful about sleep position. Let them sleep in the position they find most comfortable and be happy that at this age the SIDS risk is extremely low.

Sarah - posted on 03/10/2009

my daughter has slept on her tummy since she was born, she will not sleep on her back. if shes in a deep sleep and i turn her onto her back she will wake and scream then roll back onto her tummy. i know they say babies shudnt sleep on their fronts but mine will not sleep any other way x

Julia - posted on 03/10/2009

My son went through the same thing. In fact, he still does it. I had the hardest time getting him to sleep. Especially because I was a new mom and was terrified to let him sleep on his belly. As I watch him sleep, he would be on his side, then on his tummy. He always kept his head to the side when he was on his tummy. My son absolutely hated being on his back. I still watch him sleep at times. And he still does the same thing and he is almost 21 months old. It is just what he prefers.

Silla - posted on 03/10/2009

Yeah, my son is now 6 months and he has slept on his tummy since he could roll over and hold his head and chest up around 2 months old. He just WONT sleep on his back.I worried soooo much at first, but I realized that everytime he wakes up he just lifts himself up or turns back over on his back. I wouldn't worry too much, let him take his naps on his tummy and watch to see how he wakes up. Just make sure there are no toys or stuffed animals in bed with him. Also, I put my son in footsie sleepers so I don't have to put a blanket on him.... and if I do end up putting a blanket on him its just a thin one.

Sara - posted on 03/10/2009

I totally understand.  Lucas almost never lets us lay him on his back either.  After baths it is such a fight to get him dried off and dress, so there is absolutely no use even trying to put him on his back to sleep!  When we had him in our room, we were able to tuck him in pretty tight angled toward his back so he would roll that way.  But now that he is in his crib in his room,  we just have to get the angle right and cross our fingers he rolls the way we want him to.  I am terrified of SIDS also and have done everything to try and prevent it.  Wanted to keep him in our room until he was at least six months old, but my husband won the battle and he moved last week.  We just got a fan put in his room and are releived that he is finally taking a pacifier.  Good luck!

Sheila - posted on 03/10/2009

He loves sleeping on his tummy. Always sleeps longer that way too.  I suppose I just let him do it for so long that he flips over from side to tummy during the night. He has always had a strong neck, was able to hold his head up at one month.  He is able to turn his head from side to side and hold it up when laying on his tummy in his crib. Just worry about SIDS and him not being able to breathe if he happens to lay face down.  I put him on his back to go to sleep, he was definitely tired, and he cried for over half an hour. As soon as I put him on his side, he went to sleep. I just checked on him and he rolled over on to his tummy.  Funny thing is, during the day, he has no interest in rolling over at all.  Have his 6 month appointment next week, will ask the doctor what she thinks but still wondering why he hates his back so much when he used to sleep like that all the time.

Sara - posted on 03/10/2009

Our son has been going to sleep on his side since he was 2 months old.  It was the only way to get him in bed.  He usually flips over onto his back within half an hour on his own.  Our doctor says that as long as he is able to roll over on his own and lift his head, then he will be on his belly at some point, babies just like it there sometimes.  I do still check in on him, first time mom sydrome I suppose, but he is always asleep and happy.