Belly Sleeping

I am like that now. I can't sleep on my back. I either can sleep on my stomach or my back. The best thing would be to put the baby on her side. Put pillows on both sides of her to keep her in that position to prevent SIDS. That should work. Let me know.

Everyone secretly puts their babies on their tummy. Face it, sometimes it's the only way they sleep. Back in the day wasn't so long ago either. My sister wasn't told to put her aby on her back until child number three and one and two are only 7 & 9 years old. I think you just have to keep an eye out, that's all.

My son was a big baby and I wasn't able to swaddle him for very long so I put him to sleep on his belly for the same reasons. He was fine. When I was younger, it was advised that babies sleep on their tummiesso they didn't choke on their spit-up. Then it was their backs, now its their sides. They keep changing it. I say, do what works as long as you use good sense...

My baby sleeps on her belly and side. If she falls asleep on me, I put her down in the same manner she was in, often resulting in her being put down tummy side down (if she falls asleep on my chest). There is always something you should/shouldn't be doing, I don't doubt by the time our kids have kids there will be some reason why babies shouldn't be on their backs.. Do what works for you, and be very watchful.

I TOTALLY agree with you. My first son slept on his back for like the first three months b/c that was we were TOLD to do in the hospital. One night he just would NOT sleep and my mother in law suggested putting him on his stomach. I was afraid at first b/c of all the horror stories they tell you before they let you go home, but I was SO tire I did it. I watched him for THREE HOURS before I realized he was ok. lol. I was SO paranoid. He slept like that from then on. This time I kept my newborn swaddled and on his back for the first five or six weeks. Recently he's been giving me a hard time sleeping, so I was doing tummy during the day when I could watch him and back at night. Then he wouldn't sleep as long on his back and just didn't seen comfortable. Now I only put him on his tummy (and he dosen't like being swaddled either, lol). I think, as a mom, you know whats best for your kids. "Back in the day" they didn't have all the horror stories and nonsence to drive you crazy...and we all grew up FINE. lol. well...MOST of us, lol. But I think you should do what you feel is best for your child. Every child is different. Treat them that way :o)

Hi crystal...my son also favored sleeping on his tummy and when he got to the stage of rolling over, even when i placed him on his back, he would roll onto his tummy to sleep. He still does to this day. Something about sleeping on his tummy, makes him fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. When i talked about this with my grandmother, {who was an OB nurse in her day} told me that they never put babies to sleep on their backs and that this was how they also would keep themselves warm too, by tucking their arms and legs in. I was worried when i noticed he would only sleep on his tummy, but hes 14 months old now and no matter how i lay him down, he ends up on his tummy. I dont see much wrong with it. With all of this dr-ly advice makes you wonder what your parents ever did raising kids who slept on their tummies! right? needless to say: your not the only one.

My son used to sleep on his belly or his side..I used a sleep postioner to make sure he wasnt all squirmy around. He also took a binky at night time only. I have heard that also helps with SIDS

during the night i put him on his back.. but during the day hes always on his tummy (and he looks soooo much more comfortable). he has a little reflux and spit up, so i bought a wedge that u put under the he can sleep a little bit upright at night. does your daughter spit up? maybe thats why shes uncomfortable on her back... im sure its ok by now though but just be careful for thick blankets and stuff that can get bunched up by their face

i'm with you on this one, my son who is now 11 months old has slept either one his belly or he rolls almost halfway so he could get a good night sleep. He hated being swaddled and it's different than my daughter, she loves the swaddle thing and she loved being rocked to sleep (now 5). Ever since he was 4 or 5 months we could not rock him to sleep anymore so we tried just putting him right in his crib the moment he touches the crib he rolls right over on his belly and his out. I have known of SIDS since they lecture you in the hospital but they are not the one at home listening to the screams of babies so whichever way the babies sleeps as long as they are ok and they could support their heads then thumbs up for us. He also slept in our bedroom up until last month when he had go to his room, my husbands idea, I was so worried that I kept the monitor and I even bought one of those camera one. After about a week of not getting sleep coz I kept looking at the monitor I finally realize that my baby is gonna be fine by himself on his crib in his room. I still have the monitor volume so high so even a little move he makes I can hear him. So you're not the only one out there my kids sleeps the same way.

The reason they say dont is it does increase the sids rate. Since more people have been putting on side or back sids rate is there but so rare.

When a baby lays on its stomach is whole respiratory for pressure on it. Baby forget to breath sometimes this plus that it makes it very dangerous.

Im guilty of letting my son who had terrible acid reflux as a baby sleep that way once in while. Only once in while like if he was up for 2 nights straight. Then i prayed nothing go wrong and i checked every half hour..

laying on the side or the back opens up the lungs and gives less pressure on the heart. People stop worrying when the baby can roll from front to back by themselves.

With my first child no one had told me which way to put him to sleep. But since the day I braught him him from the hospital he always slept on his tummy and I just thought it was normal, and everything turned out ok anyways. But five and a half years later I had another child and the hospital was pushing the issue of putting him on his back, and again he always rolled over to his tummy. I know they say sleeping on the back helps prevent SIDS, but both of my boys loved sleeping on their tummy. My almost two year old still sleeps on his tummy.

I have a four month old as well. He was collicy when he was first born and the only thing that would help him to feel better was to let him nap on his tummy, but not through the night. I also started feeding him cereal and small amounts of fruits and veggies when he was about a week old, to help him sleep through the night. I was afraid to let him sleep on his tummy all night because of what the doctors say. It scares me to death that I could wake up one morning and not have my baby anymore. Now he kind of rolls himself to where he wants to sleep, usually on his side.

Maybe if you get her to transition to her side and then to her back, she wouldn't make such a fuss. Also when she is sleeping on her side, roll up a small blanket and tuck it by her tummy, she might think she is still sleeping on her tummy.

All of my children(5)have slept on their bellies. I remember trying to put my youngest 2 on their sides and backs and they were not having it! So you are definitely not alone. I believe that if I put my child on his back and he throws up, he is more likely to swallow and choke off of it than if he was on his tummy and it happened.

This is a very touchy subject with some...I say to each thier own. Im not one to have or raise my children "by the book". I do what works for us!

The reason for back to sleep program is that SIDS has been cut by 80% since the program began. If you are one of the lucky ones, your child didn't die from SIDS but I wouldn't want to second guesss myself if anything happened. Yes, not all babies will dies of SIDS if they are on their tummies but research has shown that many cases of SIDS could have been prevented by sleeping on the back.

Hi Crystal, I know that the doctors now days say don't let them sleep on thier tummies. But my daughter was always waning to lay on her belly. There is one thing you might want to check with or ped. doctor, we found out that my daughter has a malformed hip, not really bad but it is more comfortable for her to sleep with her legs tucked than it is for her to lay flat.

When my daughter was first born, I did put her to sleep on her back. She hardly slept at all, and after a couple of weeks she hated being swaddled as well. When she was about 6 weeks old I came home while my mother was baby sitting to find my sweet pea laying on her tummy! I was horrified and showed my mother all of the articles and the Dr.'s reports that say "If you don't lay baby on her back, you're just about the worst mama in the world!"... Well after about a week, and after seeing how well she finally slept at my mother's and whenever my mother let her lay on her tummy, I gave it a try. And guess what? I have a beaufitul, developmentally advanced 7 month old baby girl who is yes, still alive and kicking! She sleeps better than ever on her tummy. She never took a binky, and has been breastfed since birth. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE! My daughter sleeps the best on her tummy, and like your relatives my mother made it clear that when I was born, as well as my sis and bro, she was told that I SHOULD be put to sleep on ym tummy. Go figure! It works for us!

Hi, I let my son sleep on his tummy, despite what people say. I actually researched it a bit before I did it and there was really no proof, unless there are puffy mattrersses stuffed animals or pillows. He did fine, smooth mattress and a good nights sleep. He is 9 months now and he doesnt stay in one position for more then 5 minutes, but he sleeps 12 hours a night. Anyway good luck and because your baby is a bit older it is safer because she can move more.

Hi Crystal my son is 3 1/2 when he was a baby i use to put him to sleep on his belly. Now he sleep either way now so ur not the only one to do it.

LISTEN TO THE OLD AND WISE NOT THE ONES WHO GET PAID.
If i listend to the docs and not my mom and what i remeber the way my grandma use to do things. my kid would probably not have slept all night. (he slept on belly and side).
he didnt gain weight the docs' said no to cereal my mom said yes. i put cereal at two months in his bottle he gained weight. (and shockingly did not become overwieght or die from it). things thru the years have changed .. I rember dipping bobo's (pacifier, nooks whatever ya call em today) in honey to pacify my neices. They are alive and well at 31, 29 and 28 and im here at 37... I dont kknow how old you are but chances are you slept on your belly too.. take care.. and Always check with mom or grandma first. then the doc. (unless its an emergancy i dont want to give bad advices)
lol

I have 4 wonderful children and they all slept on their bellies. I made a joke to my friend one time. I said they can't sleep on their bellies because of the possibility of SIDS, if you put them on their backs they can choke on their spit up, if you lay them on their side they will flip to either their belly or back. The only way to make sure this doesn't happen is to suspend them upside down while they sleep and then you won't have any problems. We all slept on our bellies and so I had my kids do it. When they slept on their backs they screamed. I also think tummy time is important and they can practice by sleeping on their bellies. When you are holding them on you do you let them lie on their backs looking at the ceiling or do you have them lay on their bellies so you can talk to them and let them rest. My kids, the oldest is 6 and the youngest is 2 still prefer their bellies as I do to sleep on. By the way, I just want to say I am proud of you and everything you are doing, it must get tough with your husband not there and I think you are doing a great job!!

It sounds like my daughter did and still does the same thing. She actually folds herself in half, where her knees are against her belly. However, she has also been able to sleep on her back, without a problem. When I talked to the Dr. about it, he said it was fine during the day to sleep on the belly, however, for long periods of time, such as overnight, she should be on her back until she is one. I also talked to an orthopedic about the position, because it was so strange, and was told not to worry, it will not harm the legs or hips.
As a mother you know what is right for your child and what works. Do what "you" are comfortable with. Have your tried a pacifier while she is on her back?
Good luck!

all of my kids but one slept on their tummy's. he was a premie so i had to put him on the side and put blankets on the side of him so he didn't go on his back or his belly till he was much much older.

HI Crystal!!! I too had my baby sleep on her belly. She had colic and it was the only way she would sleep. Just be sure there are no blankies, pillows... Good luck!!!
J.

Hey Crystal! I did the same thing as you. My son was completely content sleeping on his belly and my family thought it was unheard of putting a baby on its back.. so I'm with you on this one.. Go with what you feel is right for your own child, don't listen to the books or "statistics" :)

i completely agree with you...i thinks SIDS is very unfortunate when it does happen but my son slept on his stomach also since the day he came home & he was sleeping through the night at 2 months old...every baby is different...& you just have to be able to trust your instincts...so if it works for your daughter...KUDOS!! :D

When my 15 year old son was born they said to put them on their belly to sleep. When my daughter was brn they said the side with pillows or blankets on the back for support. Now I have an almost 2 year old and they say the back. I think whatever way they will sleep is ok They all seem to have a favorite position.

it is so reassuring to know that other mothers put their baby to sleep their tummy's..my daughter liked it too and I would fold laundry in the room with her to keep an eye on her, she would go to sleep on her back and then roll over to her tummy, and at night she would like to lay on her tummy and have her back rubbed a little...

i have a 15 month old baby, and she slept on her belly since she was born i think is more warm to them thats why they like it. when she learned how to roll over i used to lay her on her back and she rolled to her tummy, i used to check her once or twice a night just to make sure she was breathing but she did fine, my mom tells me i always slept on my tummy so i guess babys like that

LOL no you are not the only one. All seven of my children slept on their bellies. The first who is now 15 came home and I wasn't told a word by the doctor. The 2nd who is now 12 I was told on the side. Needless to say by the time the 4th came who is 7 is was ONLY back to sleep.
I at that point did what worked for us put her on her belly. Put it this way it is a recommendation not a law to put them to sleep on their backs. Other things add to the cause of SIDS. not sleeping on the belly alone.
I think since your baby is sleeping for 8-10 hours worry free so should you!!
:) S.
PS my 5 months old was sleeping cozy on her belly too from when we brought her home.

My pediatrician would wince everytime I told her "nope they sleep on their belly" I am a firm believer that SIDS and its reason for happening is unknown. I feel that there has been a decrease in its occurence not because of "back to sleep" or other promos out there but because there is so much fear of it happening that moms are hovering over their children all night long. -smile- A family friend has been a foster mom for over 39 years mostly to children born of Crack And Heroine addicted babies, those on heart monitors and apnea monitors, those from 4 pounds to normal weights and she made a comment that assured me in so many ways. "Because of the many medical problems If any baby was suppose to die it would have been one of my babies, every last one that was ever in my home was put to sleep on their bellies and not one has ever died"
Both of my children were belly sleepers, both have great sleep habits and both are happy healthy children. As will be any others that I am blessed with along the way. Do what feels right for you and your family, your baby will let you know if its right and so will your instincts. Take care, Cher

hello, happy holidays, both my kids slept on their tummyy and they are no 5 and 15 years old

hey crystal well i'm a mother of three girls and all my girls slept on their tummy until they were able to roll over on thier backs,so don't feel like your the onlt mommmy in the world who is doing this just make sure to check on her once in a while she is sleeping because of the SIDS.
good luck

My daughter, who will be two next month, only slept on her belly with her arms and legs tucked in because she had reflux...she also hated being swaddled! My gastroenterologist said that, when they have a problem with their stomach, they instinctively know what to do to help themselves, which is lie on their bellies, the warmth is soothing. They tell you to put the baby on the back because it is believed to reduce the occurence of SIDS, although there is no concrete evidence of that. I say, do what works.