Back or Belly?

My sons were born in the early 1990's and they both slept great on their tummies. I never put them on their backs. They always slept on their tummies. If babies sleep great on their tummies, then.... let sleeping babies lay..... on their tummies.
D. N.

If she is rolling over, she is fine. She will sleep
the way she wants. If she has reflux sleep on her back
can be uncomfortable which is why she really likes her
belly. She is getting a good nights sleep.

The only thing I'll do is mention the statistic that babies slept on their backs have a 50% reduction in SIDS. While I believe that back sleeping made my babies more restless, it was worth cutting the risk for SIDS in half. While many babies may have slept on their stomachs and it was recommended in the past - simply for making the baby sleep more deeply - there was no medical benefit to it ... and babies who slept more deeply may not have woken up, at all. The numbers in the reduction of SIDS since back-to-bed was started speaks volumes. Any doctor who says that it doesn't matter if you sleep a newborn on their stomach is not following medical research that's been out there for 20 years now. They are giving you a personal opinion that goes against the medical research, the AAP, etc.

If your baby can roll over than more than likely she can lift her head which reduces the risk of SIDS...All 3 of my kids flipped themselves over...I can't stay up all night to make sure they stayed in 1 spot...however they are comfortable is fine...but my doctor always said if she is strong enough to roll over than she can lift her head...let that baby and YOU sleep! I did ...soundly!

My friend's baby would not sleep on her back either. They bought an apnea monitor and put her on her stomach. The monitor detects breathing and will alarm if the baby doesn't breath every so often. It let them get a good night's sleep, but also had the peace of mind that if she stopped breathing the alarm would sound. I'm not sure if they are expensive or if it's even something you would be interested in but at least you know it's an option. Good Luck!

My first son would only sleep on his belly as well. So the sitter and I decided to ignore the back to sleep campaign. But just remember you need to always make sure that there are no fluffy jammies or blankets, or anything like that. You are her mother and you know best. My second son always slept on his back. I myself was a belly baby. Do what feels best. Good luck and congratulations.

Hey K.,

My son sleeps best on his belly too. I know that just about everyone in the free world advocates "back to sleep", but you have to do what works best for your little girl. Just make sure that she can hold her head up even for just a few seconds. Nothing and I mean NOTHING can obstruct her breathing. Such as a loose crib sheet, stuffed animal, blanket and baby comforter. If she uses a pacifier, that actually works to help prevent SIDS. Good luck and Happy New Year!

You have enough opinions on the belly/back issue. I just wanted to share something. Some folks mentioned that there's nothing you can do. But...

When my daughter (now 7) was a baby we really wanted her on her back, and we purchased an object that kept her on in that position during sleep. It was 2 cushions connected by fabric. She slept snugly between the two cushions. However, there were no other sleep issues with her, and she had always slept well on her back.

I've got to tell you. I had the same worries myself. But my mom came to help me with my daughter one week after she was born and put her to sleep on her belly. My daughter is now 6 1/2 years old now. If it would make you feel better, put her to sleep on her belly for a nap so you can keep an eye on her. But honestly if she's rolling over theres no controlling it anyway! Have a nice sleep

My doctor told me that as long as my babies could roll over from their belly to their back to let them sleep however they wanted. I would do the same, put my babies down on their backs, and they would roll over onto their tummies. They're 1 and 2 1/2 now and perfectly fine. :)

K.:

Congrats on your 3 mo old. I always put my daughter to sleep on her belly b/c they tipically do sleep better on their tummies b/c that moro reflex doesn't startle them while they are face down. I never had an issue even though I will admit that I would wake up more frequently in the middle of the night just to check on her. I have no regrets, I am expecting the second one in Feb and she will too sleep on her tummy. Good luck.

O.

as long as you keep an eye on your baby and they are alone in the crib--no blankets, pillows etc i think it is okay. i had a set of twins and they prefered to sleep on their tummys for a while too, but they slept in a pack n play in the livingroom so they were never out of eyeshot. good luck.

If she is rolling over now, I wouldn't worry. I would ask the pediatrician as well though. Always better safe than sorry.
Lynsey

Hi K.,

I slept my kids on their sides and propped them so they wouldn't roll over. Then, when they started rolling over, they chose to sleep on their bellies.

Just make sure you don't have anything else in the crib.

Also, they say SIDS happens less often if the babies are using a pacifier. Both my kids used pacifiers, so that gave me a peace of mind.

Good Luck
J.

until they can roll over themselves fully they should only be on their backs. for the reflux--you can prop up either the legs of the crib on one side (check www.onestepahead.com for boosters to do this) or i rolled up a towel and put it between the mattress and the springs of the crib at the head for my son when he had issues. it's better to be safe then sorry god forbid. also, she may need medication for the reflux--check with your ped.

My twinsa were born in 1982 and THEN it was said you HAD to put them to sleep on their belly. Then in 1986 when my other daughter was born they said back. NOW I saw whatever makes the baby sleep through the night. Go with your instinct.

My son always slept best on his tummy. His pediatrician said that once he could roll over it wasn't a problem to let him sleep on his tummy. He seemed to have more breathing difficulty on his back frankly, when he had a cold. I always put him on his side to be safe. I read that SIDS is strongly believed in Europe to be the result of chemicals and flame retardants put into the mattresses which interfere w/ babies breathing. I purchased an organic chemical free all natural rubber mattress.
Anywas I am an older 1st time mother and I was raised before the back to sleep craze to put babies to sleep on their tummies- it was believed in the 70's that that was the safest way. Well my kid is now 3 and he does sleep w/ us still at times during the night-- that too is believed to be a contributing factor in reduction of SIDS- co-sleeping infants w/ their mom (parent) as their breathing rhythym is often regulated w/ the parent.

Hi K.,

I have two children and from experience and what I read, you should not put your daughter to sleep on her tummy. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Symdrome) is a very big factor here, she may go into a very deep sleep and God for bid not wake up again. She is to small and may rest on her face, she does not know to lift her head to breath. Please, I would not do this anymore. My second child had the reflux my doctor told me to lift the matters a little by putting a almost flat pillow or blanket underneith. This help him a lot. Or I let sleep a little in the carrier or bouncer. I am happy to say he is 1 1/2 years old now and has no sign of the reflux. Good Luck! :)

I know it's said back to sleep, but up until 20 years ago, all babies slept on their tummies.
My almost 4 month old has slept naps on her tummy since about 3 weeks old (once she could lift her head and turn it) and only sleeps on her back when she's in bed with me at night. She refuses to sleep on her back alone.
At 3 months your girl can lift her head and turn it, thus eliminating the real risk of suffocation.

Do what you gotta to get the girl good sleep!

Once she can roll over on her own, it is safe for her to sleep on her belly.

The research says to have the baby sleep on their back for the first year from what I remember. Escpecially if she has acid reflux, I would have her sleep on her back to help her avoid choking or smothering and find some medicine to help fix her reflux. I honestly would not feel right telling you it is ok to place your baby on her stomach when I have heard too many stories of babies sleeping on their stomach and unfortunately dying from sids. I hope this does not sound too bold or harsh, I just want you to know how serious back sleeping should be taken. You can't control if she rolls over in her sleep while you are sleeping, but putting her to sleep on her back according to the research is the safest thing you can do, even if it means losing some sleep. Best wishes to you.

You've gotten tons of great advice on your question, so I just wanted to add that if you're worried about SIDS, you could get the Angelcare baby monitor from Babies R Us. It has a motion sensor that you put under your baby's mattress and it'll sound a loud alarm if she stops moving or breathing for more than 20 seconds. To some it may seem excessive, but it saved my husband and me a lot of worrying.

Hi K. - my almost 7 mo daughter ALWAYS sleeps on her tummy. She's just more comfortable there - hates to be on her back. She's fine there playing but not sleeping. She's my third - the other two always slept on their backs. I would talk to your pediatrician about it. The women at my daughters daycare were also hesitant (state law prohibits them from putting babies on their tummies, but OK if they roll over and end up there) so they would put her in on her back then "help" her roll over herself. Good luck.

My daughter would only sleep swaddled until about 5 months. That's when she began rolling over to her belly on her own and started sleeping that way. Our doctor said it was fine if she could roll on her own and not to worry about it because there was no way to stop her from doing it anyway. Now she is 8 months old and always sleeps on her belly.
If it makes you feel better, get a monitor that has a motion sensor on it. That's what helped us. We knew that she was fine if that little monitor was ticking. It was one of the best things we have ever purchased.

Belly. Belly. Belly.

Doctors and experts have been going back and forth with this for years. When mine were babies (now 12 and 13) there was a special cushion that allowed them to sleep on their sides. I think you should have them sleep where they are most comfortable.

With the acid reflux she's probably most comfortable on her tummy due to the pressure, also if she spits up while laying on her tummy the contents will spill out of her mouth rather than back down her throat.

SIDS statistics are actually very easy to misinterpret. New studies are showing that many babies who die from SIDS are babies that have difficulty remembering to breath, no matter what position they lay in. Also, SIDS is a much higher risk for little ones who cannot roll over. If your daughter has a very strong neck (can hold it up easily) and can roll over, then you are probably safe to put her on her belly. Reflux babies often HAVE to sleep on their bellies, too.

And most doctors say that babies who are regularly rolling may end up not sleeping on their back! I was all worried about my son, when he kept rolling over to his tummy. My doctor said to stop rolling him back, and let the poor kid sleep! :)

If it makes you feel better, keep her in your room while you try this. In a pack-n-play by your bed, for example. Also, you can take off the big, squishy bumper if you have one. I kept mine on, and my son was fine. But bumpers make some moms nervous!

I have had many babies in my care and the one thing i have learned is that everyone is different. Not ALL babies can sleep on their backs. And of course we now have a new problem of flat heads from babies ALWAYS being on their backs. And regardless of being on their backs there are still babies dying from SIDS. If you baby can roll over then I really dont think there is much danger sleeping on her stomach. Years ago we were told to never put the baby down on their back because they might spit up and choke. Which I am sure happened to one or two babies, although I think there was probably another reason too. One thing that puzzles me is more and more babies are being diagnosed with acid reflux. It has me wondering if sleep position has something to do with that and your note just made me wonder more.

Hey K.. I think once your baby is rolling over it is ok to be put on there stomach. The one other suggestion I have is in reference to the reflux. My son had reflux, and the doctor suggested elevating the head of the crib a little. We just put a blanket under the mattress of the crib just to give it a little slant. We also now do this with congestion. It helps a lot! :)

I have a 7 month old who has always slept on her tummy -right from birth even in the hospital. Till now she used to sleep on a pillow (on her tummy) but recently (1 week) we have started to get rid of the pillow because she slides down and is very mobile on the bed.

But of course she doesn't sleep through the night:-(

I have spoken to her doctor and he says there are no issues that she sleeps on her tummy. Hope this helps.

Ash

I put my daughter, now 13 mo, to sleep on her belly very early, around three months. She slept better and longer that way. I had in in our room in a bassinet so I would wake often and listen to her breathe. Not on purpose, it just happened. New mom brain I think. Just make sure that there is NOTHING else in the crib with her. No toys, no pillows, and no blankets (unless she is swaddled tight). Also make sure that the sheet on her mattress is very tight.

My daughter slept in a snugly and a hat, on her belly, and was safe and happy.

Hi Krisane,
I was in the same situation than you are today a few months ago. Oscar did not sleep well at night. My mother came from Europe and took care of him one afternoon. She did not know all the issue with belly sleep and put him for his nap on the belly. He slept 4 hours, I felt guilty but only for a few moments. Since then he has been sleeping on the belly. Oscar is 15 months now and loves to go to bed!
Hope this help to make you feel better.
T

K.,

Back to sleep is based on research. The research doesn't suggest, it says that babies that sleep on their back are likely to not become a SIDS statistic. Dramatic? yes. Worth paying attention to? yes. Frustrating when the baby rolls over? YES! We're all used to ignoring statistics, but this is one like the avoiding the sun's rays helps prevent skin cancer. You can get some sun without getting cancer. You can sleep on your tummy sometimes without having SIDS. I make no bones about it: SIDS is a very real, very scary thing, and it still scares me that my son sleeps on his tummy.

Look up the back-to-sleep thing on the internet, or talk to your pediatrician to get more comfortable with what your girl is doing, and either how to fix it (sometimes they are too cool and try to keep their belly warm) or how to live with it (repositioning or a bed-positioner).

Good Luck!
M.

Dear K.,

I have an 8 week old little boy that just started two weeks ago at my daycare center. The first few days I think he slept 10 minutes the entire day no matter what we did. We just thought it was an adjustment period for him. After speaking with his mom she told us he only sleeps on his belly otherwise he is awake all night. He was very colicky when he was first born and with formula changes he is doing much better. The state does not allow us to put babies on their bellies because of SIDS. Even though I have written permission from the mom to do so I am not comfortable with doing it. However once a baby is rolling over it is okay to do so. As long as your little girl has the ability to roll over then I think she should be okay. When my kids were little we were told to put them on their bellies, things change from minute to minute. If your baby is comfortable and can roll over then I would let her be. I feel for the little guy at my daycare, however if something were to happen to him while in my care I would never forgive myself so I have decided to stick to the rules. His mom said he sleeps great though the night now since being in daycare because he is not napping that much during the day. Good luck with your beautiful little girl!! Happy New Year!!

It's a hot topic but I must confess that I'm there with you. My son, who is now 4 y.o. became a tummy sleeper early on....by his own choice. He hated so much sleeping on his back on his crib that he learned to come out of his "burrito" and flip over to his tummy when he was only 10 DAYS old! After not being able to sleep much during his first 9 nights, and not knowing what else to do, I finally caved in and I brought a twin bed (with a very firm mattress) to his room and I tried to co-sleep with him there. Since I couldn't sleep because I was afraid of crushing him I was able to watch him flip over to his tummy 3 TIMES! Next day I put him down on the crib on his tummy for a nap, just to see what he would do....and he slept for 4 hours, his longest ever!
He slept on his tummy from that day on until he started preferring his back at 24 months. Great sleeper!
Of course I watched him like a hawk for many months, had the monitors on and the crib free of toys and blankets (summer boy). He was born full-term and healthy and I never smoked or drank during pregnancy -or have anyone around that smokes- so he was not considered at high risk for SIDS.
So, don't feel too guilty about putting her on her tummy. There are MANY Moms out there that have no other choice either -but they keep it quiet because of what people might say.

I might add that even though I am not a tummy sleeper, whenever my stomach or gall bladder bother me I do sleep on my tummy because, for whatever physiological reasons, it seems to ease the pain and help my digestion.

Hi, K.. My daughter has been sleeping on her tummy for almost 2/12 months now; she's 6 1/2 months and it hasn't adversely affected her. As you say, she's going to end up there any way.
Bless her for sleeping 8 hours. Mine STILL doesn't sleep thru the night.

if that's where your baby is most comfortable, then that's where your baby should sleep. as you stated, she turns herself over anyway.

I have 4 children ranging from 9 to 2, and they have all slept on their tummies almost from day one. I tried with each of them to do what was "right", but none of them would sleep on their backs. I would lay a baby down, and he or she would be crying within 20 minutes. As soon as I gave in, and put them on their back they would sleep several hours at a time. Just use good judgement and common sense. Now that you know your daughter can roll over don't put any blankets in her bed. Use the blanket sleepers, or the sleep sacks, and no pillows or stuffed animals.