back or tummy??

Latisha - posted on 02/03/2010

It depends (supposedly) on what doctors are saying THIS year. With both of my girls it was different. Because with my first it was tummy only and with my second back only. My first HATED sleeping on her tummy so she slept on her back, and my second I was given this thing that was pretty much just 2 triangles with a piece of fabric in the middle that adjusted by velcroe (to make bigger or smaller) and it helped her stay on her side and that's the only way that she would sleep. It also made me feel a little more comfortable because she was neither on her back or tummy. So what I've always been told is do what makes them comfortable and yourself comfortable and not so nervous.

Raysha - posted on 02/02/2010

My 2 year old has slept on her tummy since the day she was brought home from the hospital. And she's perfectly fine.

Erin - posted on 02/02/2010

I think he will be fine, if you are not comfortable with him sleeping on his tummy you can always put him on his side, by proping him up they have pillows that you can "wedge" them into so that they can roll over.

Elisabeth - posted on 02/02/2010

2 of my 3 childeren slept on there tummy form the first month. I had no problem.

Christi - posted on 02/01/2010

my son did not sleep on his back till he was over six months old. yeah he wasn't comfortable, but i would rather have a cranky baby then a dead one. i would talk to your doctor though because it is a proven fact that children who sleep on the tummies under a certain age are at significantly higher risks of SIDS than children who sleep on their backs. i don't think you should rely on what other moms say, that really is a question for a professional.

Michaelle - posted on 02/01/2010

My daughter didn't sleep well on her back either. Her dr said to try on putting her to bed on her side. The risks of SIDS goes up dramatically when an infant sleeps on their tummy.

Kimberly - posted on 01/30/2010

My daughter's a year now, but from about 6 weeks on, maybe earlier, I let her sleep on her tummy. I was soooooo nervous to let her do so(and didn't admit I put her on her tummy to anyone but my mom!), since almost everyone makes you feel like your baby will die for sure if you do this! However, that was not my experience...I wonder if this theory is a proven fact. Hope could hold her head up on her own from early on, so this made me feel a bit better. Like the others have said, just keep things away from your baby's face that could suffocate him/her. I really feel, that these poor babies that have died of SIDS, that there maybe was something else wrong with them, and tummy-sleeping was not the culprit. But then again, I am no doctor---just a hairstylist! :)

Stephanie - posted on 01/30/2010

I would wait until he can roll over on his own as well...however if it becomes unbareable I would suggest co-sleeping for the first few nights to see how he is sleeping on his tummy. When you put him in the crib, like others said don't have any toys or loose blankies...try putting him in so his feet are at the end and tucking the blanket into the crib mattress to avoid any suffocation scares...Sleep positioners or wedges work amazingly!! My 2 month old is just starting to sleep in her crib and the only wya to get her to stay sleep is to have her in the booppy or sleep positioner...she needs to feel snuggled and secure to sleep.
Good luck.

Cassie - posted on 01/30/2010

I read that it is really dangerous to put babies to sleep on their stomachs because they could suffocate, but it also said that if you put your little one to sleep on his back and he rolls onto his stomach then not to worry he should be fine.

Jen - posted on 01/30/2010

He's fine. My daughter did the same thing. When my neighbors were little they had just started that whole put them to sleep on their back thing and both were put on their bellies to sleep and are just fine. The first time my mother-in-law had my daughter and she slept on her belly, my mother-in-law watched her the whole time she slept lol. If your son is comfortable on his belly let him sleep.

Leah - posted on 01/30/2010

My son who is now 2 always slept on his tummy from day 1.When we brought him home we tried putting him to sleep on his back because the Dr told us that this was better and reduced the risk of SIDS but for my son any time we put him down to sleep on his back he would wake right up and not rest so we would roll him over to this tummy and he would sleep like an angel.So my husband and I decided to let him Isleep on his tummy from that point on and he has contuined to sleep through the night and he still sleeps on his tummy.I was worried about SIDS but I don't think there is really any thing you can do to prevent it and the whole back is best theory has not always been so when I was a little baby my mom was told the tummy was best to prevent SIDS!

Sarah - posted on 01/30/2010

both of my childern have slept on their bellys from day one. its the only was the would sleep.. they are both fine. my son is 2 months and will not sleep any other way. i had a pedi. yell at me for telling her my daughter slept on her belly. i told her it changes all the time.. she is 2 and still only sleeps on her belly!

Erin - posted on 01/29/2010

Back to sleep, tummy to play. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids/

If your child is not completely comfortable on his back, try swaddling him and using a sleep positioner, or having him sleep on his side. Just make sure there's not loose items (e.g.- blankets, toys, etc.) in the bed with him.

Lydia - posted on 01/29/2010

My daughter starting sleeping on her tummy in her cot at this age too. Shes still alive and kicking. Just make sure that he is sleeping on a firm surface and that there is nothing else near his head (eg pillows, soft toys etc)

April - posted on 01/29/2010

When my son was born i always put him on his back to sleep but he started spitting up a lot and had stomach issues. While laying on his back at night he would spit up and choke on it. So, I had enough and layed him on his tummy. When he would spit up he wouldnt choke on it (which let me sleep easier) He slept better and doesnt have a flat head. I know I know, the docs say on their back to sleep to reduce sids. If you do lay baby on his belly make sure there are no extra loose items in the bed, or loose clothing. Dress your baby warm enough so you don't have to use a blanket. Or you could try laying him on his side too.

Kristy - posted on 01/29/2010

Hi i think you should let him sleep which ever way he is most comfortable. The all say sleep them in their back, or sides and i slept my girl on her side but she was fine that way. Just make sure that there is nothing round his face including blankets that he could pull over himself. I know there are alot of cases where babies have ended up with flat head, this is were the skull starts flattening at the back instead of staying rounded. This ends up happening when people dont allow their babies to turn their owns heads while asleep or awake. Alot dont realise that babies need time both on their backs, and both sides and tummies to maintain the shape of the skull. When you put him down try putting him on his side and make sure you rotate sides each time. But alas if he is a tummy sleeper he is a tummy sleeper

Tracy - posted on 01/28/2010

both my children loved to sleep on there tummy... so though the day when i could check on them i would sleep them on there belly, at night i would sleep them on there back. both my children had strong necks right from birth as well which helped, he will probably start rolling himself over once he is rolling if he prefers his belly.

Sarah - posted on 01/27/2010

I would try having him sleep on his side. Use a wedge to help keep him from rolling to his tummy or back. The risk of sids goes up sooooo much when they are on their tummies that I would not risk it. Once they are rolling on their own and roll on their tummy that risk goes down. My daughter liked to be on her tummy more than her back. I did the side sleeping and swaddled her, which helped. People would tell me that they would put their kids on their tummy and they were fine. But to me everyone elses baby could be fine, but if something happened to my baby everyone else's baby would not matter. There could be 100,000 babies that were fine on their tummy, but if mine was that 1 that was not fine those 100,000 babies would not matter.

Rachael - posted on 01/27/2010

The advice I was given by my doctor is that when he can roll himself onto his tummy by himself then it's safe for him to sleep that way

Audra - posted on 01/27/2010

I put my 10 month old to sleep on his back at night, but he always rolls over and sleeps on his stomach. I'm not too concerned, especially since I don't put any blankets or toys in the crib with him (he loves to roll around, so this wouldn't be a good idea!) I don't see anything wrong with it, especially if there isn't anything in the crib with him. :)