Stomach sleeping???

Veronique - posted on 04/12/2010

My daughter is 5 months and since the day she's been born she only will sleep on her stomach. It made me very nervous but she's doing fine. As long as there's no bumper or blankets or anything in the bed and that the room is not to hot it should be ok. If you would feel better you can always get the angel care monitor system it goes under the sheats and it warns you when your baby stops breathing but be careful because is your baby moves off the monitor goes off anyway. So it's a good thing and an annoying thing.

Sarah - posted on 04/12/2010

Hi. I never let myfirst daughter sleep on her belly, because of the fear of SIDS. Now she's almost twoand has been belly sleeping since she could put herself there. But my second daughter has been sleeping on herbelly sinceshewas born. She isnow 9 months. Mind you, shewas 7 weeks early too and they wereputting on her belly in the NICU. Her dr still getsmad at me everytime she hears that she belly sleeps. But she wakes up 2 or3 times a night on her back and sleeps through the night on her belly. So it just depends on how comfortable they are and you are putting them on therebelly to sleep. Hope it helps.

Ariel - posted on 04/12/2010

I started doing it as soon as they started sleeping int their room, so around 3 months. Mine never had a problem with it...they slept on their stomach in the NICU, so tummy sleepy was the only way they would sleep in their bed. They now sleep 9-10 hrs. a night...on their stomach...and they are 13 1/2 months old

Kimberly - posted on 04/12/2010

when my youngest (7months) was only a couple months old that was the only way he would sleep. you justt keep on eye on them. dont have exra stuff in their beds. babies will roll over and sleep however they are comfortable! thats what i have learned. so to me its ok for him to be on his belly to sleep.

Stefania - posted on 04/12/2010

my daughter in now 13 months & since around 6-7 months she started sleeping on her stomach. They "say" the risk of SIDS goes way down around 6 months so my hubby & i weren't too worried about it. She never had a problem holding her head up. Since birth she had her held her head straight up. The doctors were all so shocked that she could do that & we were happy that we had a baby that didnt have her head on her shoulder lol! Bottom line, as long as your son can turn his head & lift himself up like you say he can then its fine. I mean think about it, when we were babies they told our moms to keep us on our stomaches or we would choke. They keep changing the rules :) Anyways my daughter still sleeps on her stomach or side & shes fine. I think the only reason she ever slept on her stomach was because we used those swaddlers with the velcro so she really couldn't move. Hope this helped :)

Amy - posted on 04/12/2010

My son started sleeping on his belly at about 3 months (I think). We would put him to bed on his back, but he'd keep rolling over to his belly and it's not like we can hover over and keep rolling him back to his back, lol.



Just make sure you don't have too many extra things in the crib. We kept toys and blankets out until after our son could crawl, and didn't add blankets will 9 or 12 months.

Sabrina - posted on 04/12/2010

my daughter from birth slept on her belly cuz thats the only way she would sleep and she is fine now she sleep on her back she is a year and a half i think what ever is more comfortable for the baby is fine, i know people say it can cause SIDS but just make sure the head is turned and no heavy blankets in th crib :)

Jessica - posted on 04/12/2010

my daughter has been a stomach sleeper since she was 3 weeks old. i let her do it in her bassinet with no blankets and nothing in the bassinet at all. as long as the baby can roll its fine and safe

Shannon - posted on 04/12/2010

my daughter was the same way. i noticed that once she could roll herself onto her stomach, she slept much more soundly. i never put her on her stomach to sleep, unless it was a short nap and i would go in and check on her every 2 minutes lol. but once they can roll on their own, then its usually ok to let them sleep the way they prefer to.

Brittany - posted on 04/12/2010

I have 3 children and all 3 have always slept on there stomach they would never sleep on there back, I would get up every little bit and check on them to make sure they were okay.

Jamie - posted on 04/12/2010

my 8 month old son only slept on his back in the hospital. at home he has been sleeping on his tummy ever since the day that we brought him home. that is the only way that he will really sleep good

Jessyca - posted on 04/12/2010

honestly as long as there is nothing in the crib that can harm him let him sleep the way he wants my two daughters always have and my youngest is a year now and thats the only way i could get her to sleep as long as you feel safe i think it would be gine just check in every once in a while

Jennifer - posted on 04/12/2010

I was always scared to let my daughter sleep on her back..I was afraid she would spit up and we wouldn't notice it..So she's always slept on her tummy..She rolls over all the time now and she's 4 mths old..She sleeps better on her tummy and I don't have to worry about her spitting up!!

Kait - posted on 04/12/2010

when i was a baby they were still saying that stomach sleeping was safer than back sleeping b/c babies choke on drool or spit up, i'm almost 21 and sleep on my stomach all the time. now, studies say that stomach sleeping is linked to SIDS, I believe as long as your baby can pick up his/her head and roll over on their own they should be fine. My son always slept on his side when he was younger, now he's almost 8 months and he is ALL over the place. He rolls over in bed, sleeps on his side, stomach, back....head lol as long as he's safe in his crib without a suffocation risk I think its ok.

Heather - posted on 04/12/2010

let him sleep however he wants you will get more done

Maggie - posted on 04/12/2010

i have a 14 month old and a 3 and a half month old... they both sleep on their tummys. they wont sleep on their backs.. nether of them had any problem with moving their head or lifting it up and moving it so i didnt have a problem with doing it.

Andrea - posted on 04/12/2010

Both of my boys were belly sleepers too and still are. my oldest slept w me belly to belly from the day he came home. he was cholicy so it helped him. i would wait until he gets better at rolling but u could try puttin him down on his side and rolling a blanket up to his belly....if u have a sleep positioner u can place the blanket between the baby n the positioner...who doesnt like a warm belly while sleeping

Bobbie - posted on 04/12/2010

I have let my baby sleep on her tummy since day 1. As long as they can lift there head it is ok for them to do that. I believe the reason behind it all is so they don't suffocate when they are face down or they done choke on their vomit if that happens while they are asleep. If he can lift his head he will be fine!

Kat - posted on 04/12/2010

Once they start rolling over there's nothing you can do really about them sleeping on their belly. My son started doing it and I freaked out a little and my mom and my son's doctor said since he can roll over on his own now not to stress about it just make sure he isn't sleeping on really spongey and soft surfaces. Also the whole sleep on their back or sleep on their belly changes all the time... in 1990 when i was born my mom was told i had to sleep on my belly... so it's really the babies perference i think :)

Nikki - posted on 04/12/2010

I would double check with your pediatrician, but our doctor told us if she could roll over both way, she could sleep however she wanted. Plus, if they have good head control, they can pick it up and move unlike a younger infant who if they turn over on themselves, not only can they not move back but they may not be able to move their head to the side.

Elizabeth - posted on 04/12/2010

Tummy sleep is a position that is safer for most babies to prevent SIDS> UNfortunately there is no true preventative for it, or any real reason. There are only simple precautions they have put together over the years. Children are naturally going to roll over themselves and there is nothing you can do other than stay awake ALL night flipping them back. Just be careful, as long as your child is old enough and strong enough to do it themselves they should be fine. Speak to your pediatrician if you are having concerns.

Marni - posted on 04/12/2010

I have two children, and both of them have been sleeping on their tummys since birth. I am a 26 old mom and i also slept om my tummy.The problem in the old days was that the matress the baby slapt om wat made of plastic and had no ventalation.These new matresses have holes in them, so how can your baby posibly sufocate?As for choking, when you are on your belly and you bring up a wind, it does not go back into your mouth it goes directly out and onto the pillow/matress.So from my point of view, it is a great way to let baby sleep, providing you have the right matress. (excuse spelling, i am not english but afrikaans)

Susanne - posted on 04/11/2010

once my daughter was sleeping on her stomach i found that using a sleeping bag where you put their arms in and eliminating the blankets all together made me feel better about it.

Susanne - posted on 04/11/2010

my daughter started sleeping on her stomach as soon as she stated rolling over. and if you turned back over on to her stomach, she just rolled over again. w2hen they start rolling over you are meant to stop wrapping them. i think as long as they can old their head up and are able to roll, it is fine. but seek professional advice if worried.

Chelsey - posted on 04/11/2010

My baby was about 3 or 4 months when she started sleeping on her side and then it turned it to sleeping on her tummy and it sacared me at first but i just checked on her alot and she has been fine she is almost 1 now.

Stephanie - posted on 04/11/2010

my daughter is 7 months now and LOVES sleeping on her belly. she pretty much slept on her belly since day one cuz she sleeps wit mommy and daddy in bed and she use to have to sleep on our chest but if she slept in the co sleeping thing she was on her back. but once they are control over their head like they are able to move side to side i think its fine and yea if they are rolling over there is no stopping them. if your son is move comfortable like that just let him.

Christina - posted on 04/11/2010

i don't know what age is safe. you kind of have to go by your baby and their develpoment. as long as they are old enough to know to move their head to the side and don't sleep with their face down then it should be okay. once they start rolling around you will drive yourself crazy trying to keep them on their backs! i always laid my kids down on their backs, but usually when i went and checked on them they were on their bellies and i just left them like that so they could sleep.

Christina - posted on 04/11/2010

Well if he is able to roll over on his own and turn his head from side to side. I think he would be ok. Just make sure he cant hurt himself with any loose blankets or the bumper pad in his crib if he has one... But if you dont feel safe just get a supporter that makes it to wear he cant roll over.. Those work really well.

Casey - posted on 04/11/2010

My daughter hated sleeping on her back when she was a baby..we would be up hours and hours during the night just because she didn't want to sleep on her back..so i started putting her on her stomach and she slept straight through the night..once the baby can roll over on their tummies then they should be able to sleep on it.

Karen - posted on 04/11/2010

it all depends doesn't it ladies...follow ur heart and stay intouch with ur babies....mine are 4 and 5 now...I would like another.....another thing is babies are more intune with what is happening around them....if ur bub has had a big day or is sic....bath then massage and lavender oil placed on something for ur baby to get the aromas may help them settle... oh i miss baby bath time... :-(

Hilary - posted on 04/11/2010

It's funny because when mine was in the NICU they made him sleep on his stomach and the day I got to take him home they were all like "back is best!"

Dana - posted on 04/11/2010

Hey mine are are older but both of mine slept on their tummys and I never had a problem with it. That was the only way that either of them would sleep unless Leah passed out in the carseat, which was a sight.

Karen - posted on 04/11/2010

I always had my kids on their tummies once they were unwrapped and was wiggling.. It just came to a natural decision. It can be a worry but as long as they dont get caught up in blamkets or suffercated by the collection of soft toys..I had only a selected few thet kept them comforted at nite.. Follow ur instincts..and like Terina said see the doc if u have other concerns..best of luck...and may the sleep be with u!!!

Hilary - posted on 04/11/2010

I let my son nap on his belly but when he goes to bed for the night he sleeps on his back.. which isn't hard to get him to go because he will for some reason only go to sleep in his swing at night.

Lauren - posted on 04/11/2010

my daughter who will be on 1 in the begining of june, just now started sleeping on her belly. she will only fall asleep on her back and occasionally roll over on her belly. just make sure you keep objects away from his face and leave plenty of room for him to move, and all should be fine.

Jessica - posted on 04/11/2010

My son Zachary would not sleep well on his back he had to sleep on his stomach. It started at about 2-3 months old. And I just kept an eye on him and took all the other precautions but if he was going to get any sleep it was going to be on his belly. And it's still that way to this day and he is 6 months old now.

Liane - posted on 04/11/2010

Honestly the safest time is when they can role over from stomach to back all the time, because of the risk of sids, he could go face down and not be able to get him self back up. also if you are letting him sleep on his stomach you should really use a pacifier, because they keep them constantly breathing and remembering to breathe. I am only giving my advice because I am nurse.

Tara - posted on 04/11/2010

My son just turned 5 in March.. But I remember going throw this same thing, I would put him on his back, and he hated it..so then i heard about a vacume trick and it did wonder's id put him in his bed turn a vacume on outside his room in the hallway and he would be out in a matter of min's... But every time when i went in to check on him he would be on his belly at first i was always putting him back on his back but then i thought about it and talked to my mother and we both said that he must be fine or he wouldnt want to keep putting himself like that.. lol' so yah i believe that it is fine but everyone is diff.. id ask your dr next time you see them. Good Luck

Lainie - posted on 04/11/2010

From about 6 weeks my daughter was sleeping on her belly during the day out in the lounge where i could check on her often. She was just more comfortable and had better sleep that way. I have only just started letting her sleep on her tummy at night a couple of weeks ago and she is 15 weeks now. Now that she can hold her head up easily i am not really worried about it.

Lisa - posted on 04/11/2010

Juliana, i'm so sorry to hear about your loss x whenever i hear about such a sad thing i have to run and check on my own. i hope you're managing ok x
Thare are many factors involved when looking at SIDS and sleeping position is one of them. The reason why the 'experts' keep changing their minds over this is because more convincing reasearch comes along all the time and we learn from this. The recommendation when my youngest (now aged 3) was tiny was that they should be put to sleep on their back, always. and until they could roll both front to back and back to front, they should be repositionned if they rolled. Having said that, my LO was born with a cleft lip and palate and had a big gaping hole in her mouth, she also suffered with reflux. from the very beginning she was more comfortable on her front. she would only fall asleep on her tummy on my chest and as soon as i turned her over and put her in her cot she would wake up screaming. one day she fell asleep on me and i just scooped her up and put her in her cot as she was, on her front. she slept 12hrs solid that night at aged 7wks and has done ever since. Obviously the frist few nights (weeks!) i was up and checking on her almost constantly, but i gradually relaxed over it. she still sleeps on her tummy now.

Even though I completely ignored the Back to Sleep guidelines I wouldn't ever recommend it to anyone because there is a risk, a risk that is yours to take if you feel comfortable with it. best of luckx

Quionna - posted on 04/11/2010

ITS SAFE TO ALLOW HIM TO SLEEP ON HIS BELLY WHEN HE'S ABLE TO CONTROL HIS HEAD AND NECK. MY SON HAS BEENSLEEPING ON HIS BELLY SINCE HE WAS 3MTHS OLD. WHEN I PUT HIM ON HIS BACK HE WOULD EITHER VOMIT AND START CHOKING OR WAKE UP SO NOT ONLY DID IT HELP HIM SLEEP BETTER BUT IT WAS ALSO SAFER. BUT ALL BABIES ARE DIFFERENT SO WHATEVER YOU DO JUST WATCH HIM.

Juliana - posted on 04/11/2010

I would check with your doctor but I dont recommend letting your baby sleep on its tummy. I had my 3rd baby in July and I let her sleep on her tummy by about 3 months. I had done this with my other 2 children too. Well unfortunately we lost her in December to SIDS. So check with the dr to see what they say.

Jenna - posted on 04/11/2010

once my daughter was capable of rolling to her belly, it was hard to not let her sleep like that (i think she was around 4/5 months old). my doctor told me 6 months it was okay, but every baby is different!

Stephanie - posted on 04/11/2010

If your son can roll himself over I think he is perfectly safe. Once they can roll themselves there's nothing you can really do about it. Ask your doctor though just to be one the safe side.

Adrianne - posted on 04/11/2010

No one ever recommends it so it's kind of up to you really...all three of my kids were tummy sleepers. We tried forever to get them to sleep on their backs or sides, but they just wouldnt do it. they would cry and cry until we rolled them over, then they would fall asleep within minutes. There's always a worry about SID's, and believe me I was lectured many times about it by pediatricians lol...but my kids did ok with it.

Brieanne - posted on 04/11/2010

My son has slept on his belly since he was 3wks old - he wouldn't sleep on his back... So I put a fan in his room (this reduces the risk of SIDS by 70%) and didn't put bumpers in his crib - which also helps to increase air circulation, reducing the risk of SIDS even more.

Leatonya - posted on 04/11/2010

I think it strange that when my son was born the hospital put him on his side and said it would help prevent SIDS and i listened and when my oldest daughter was born i lived in a different state and the put her on her back and swaddled her tight and said it prevent SIDS and when my youngest daughter was born i lived in Missouri and the hospital didn't swaddle her and laid her on her side and told me it would prevent SIDS and i listened and when my youngest son was born they swaddle and put him on his back but this time i didn't listen i went home and for the first few weeks i tried different position to find what my baby preferred and discovered at first he sleep on his back but know that he is almost 6 month old he prefers his side or tummy and now he rolls over on his own i let him sleep how ever he like. In my personal opinion and from what our doctor say they don't know what causes SIDS some studies have show genetic links,other have showed the obstruction in breathing,some think the child's weight pressure slows down the heart until it stops while we all are unsure the cause of SIDS,I still wished i would have follow my on instinct with my first 3 children because i was a nervous wreck worrying if the would stop breathing so much that my oldest slept on me the first year of his life so i could make sure he was OK.

Lindsay - posted on 04/11/2010

lol terina thats almost what i was doin. my daughter is 8 mos old and i was still skeptical about her sleepon on her tummy. but when i would roll her back she would just go straight to her tummy.. so i just let it go. as long as they are strong enough to mob=ve themselves there shouldnt be much of a problem.

Kristy - posted on 04/11/2010

the SIDS reserch shows that even though children are at risk of SIDS up untill the age of 2yrs old, the risk decreases after the age of 4months. (which is the age most babies have head control) and decreases even more after the age of 1. I asked my doctor about this because my girl who is 7months always rolls on her tummy and i was waking up about 6times a night and rolling her back, my doctor said that even though there is a risk of SIDS still, tummy sleeping related SIDS has been shown to be a cause in children under 4 months. And the causes of SIDS after the age of 4 months are really unknown because there is fewer cases.

Melissa - posted on 04/11/2010

my son has always liked to sleep on his side i put him in his crib and immediately he will roll to his side so i just leave him he now also needs his teddy bear and blanket. when i put him down he lays on his back and waits for me to hand him his teddy then rolls to his side and falls right asleep. also the "professionals" most of whom don't have kids keeps changing there minds because they don't really know. when i was born the dr told my mom to put me on my tummy only for sleeping. now the same dr is telling me to put my son on his back only. they just don't know.