Did It Scare You When Your Infant Turned over on His/her Belly in the Crib?

My doctor said that once they could roll over by themselves to not worry about it. The risk of SIDS is greatly reduced once they are able to roll themselves over. Don't worry and call you doctor of you have any concerns...Hope this helps!!

My son slept on his belly since the time he was born. It's ok to let her sleep on her tummy. If she is comfortable and still breathing ok I wouldn't worry about it.

Hi,
yes it scared me very much when she started rolling over to her belly. I have always asked my cousin for advise because she has two kids, and this was my first. Her advise was: when she is awake, put a blanket over her face and if she can remove it herself, dont worry about her rolling onto her belly at night and leave her sleep. She will move her head to where she can breath and feel comfortable. I would also leave her bedroom door cracked to be able to peak in on her once in a while to see and to listen to make sure that everything is ok. Good luck mommy

Dear R.

Is your little one able to turn back onto her back if she wants? If so then she is quite safe. If she feels the need to change position she will do it on her own just as you do when you sleep. I understand your concern with so much emphasis being placed on not letting our babies sleep on their tummies but i believe that what comes naturally can't be harmful.

don't worry...my daughter was 10 weeks early and even in the NICU they placed babies on their bellies. I asked about this and the nurses all said they sleep so much better that way. So my daughter always slept on her belly. I tried with my son to put him down on his his side or back and he slept terrible. Once they roll over own their own it is fine. I know it is hard to relax sometimes with the first one. Enjoy your little girl.
L. R

Yes, it scared me, too. I don't think I slept at all the first few times, I kept checking to make sure she was breathing ok. It drove me crazy. But she's fine, she's been doing it for months and is just more comfortable that way. At 5 months, your daughter should be mature enough to turn her head to the proper position. She is just going to keep flipping every time you turn her. Just make sure the crib sheet is tight and there are no blankets or stuffed animals in the way.

Yes, it's scary the first (few) times, but I asked my pediatrician about it and he said that once they can master flipping over, and especially if they can turn their head, the chance of SIDS goes down dramatically (not all the way down, but enough to get you off of the pins and needles).

Hello!
My baby will be 3 months next week and LOVES to move around in his sleep! he also had a flat spot on his head from laying on one side all of the time. The Dr. suggested that I get one of those foam things that you can lay the baby in on their back or side so that they cant really move around....Maybe you could try that for your baby. The one I got was only $12 or so at Wal-Mart (or Target)and it works great...He can still move around but not flip flop...I hope this helps..or makes sense.

Dear R.,

When my children were little, we were told to lay them on their bellies, with their heads to the side -- because if they spit up while laying on their backs, they might choke on it.

10 years later, the conventional wisdom says, "No, they won't be able to breathe on their stomachs, so you have to lay them on their backs"

Who is right ? Who knows ? But, rolling over in a crib isn't half as scary as having your 2 week old child roll over on a twin bed !! (I'd laid her down for a nap in the next room, rather than upstairs, and put pillows around her, but NEVER expected at that age that she would ROLL OVER !!! That ended sleeping on a twin bed for my convenience Oh, and no, she didn't fall out !!)

I would say that if she is strong enough to roll over, she is certainly strong enough to pick up her head and to breathe laying on her tummy. As long as she's comfortable, I'd let her sleep that way once she's rolled over. You can still go in and check to be sure she's breathing, but if she's breathing, she's fine, and if she's breathing every time you check on her, sooner or later, you'll relax about the sleeping position she seems to be choosing. That, and I suspect that if she can roll onto her tummy from her back, she can probably roll from her tummy to her back -- I would think rolling from the back to the front is the harder activity. :-)

So, my advice: Enjoy your child's new skill !! there are many more to come !!

It is scary, as everyone said, but I also agree that it's not a problem if your baby got there herself!

btw, the reason why sleeping on the belly is discouraged for fear of SIDS is not because the baby might suffocate with her face in the mattress. The current theory (explained to me by my very good pediatrician) is that when babies are still in utero, their blood oxygen level is quite low -- around 50%. After birth, the level rises to 90-some%. The thinking is that the very low blood-O2 level is like a trigger telling the baby's brain that the mother is doing the breathing for the baby (through the umbilical cord) -- and therefore the baby doesn't need to breathe. But this trigger level is still in place in very young babies. So if the baby's blood O2 level drops, it can trigger the baby's brain into thinking she doesn't need to breathe, and suddenly the baby stops breathing and could die. What can cause the drop in O2? Suffocation, of course, but also restriction in breathing -- if you sleep on your tummy, it's harder to inhale because of the pressure on the ribcage. So that's why doctors recommend not letting young babies sleep on their tummies -- even if the baby can turn his/her head to breathe, the baby could still have a hard time breathing with the pressure on the lungs from sleeping on the belly.

BUT if your baby is turning over on her own, there's nothing to worry about -- they're strong enough to breathe while sleeping on the belly.

Hi R.,

I had the same concerns when my daughter was five months. Our pedi told us that if she can roll over, she'll be just fine! Something about the risk of SIDS decreasing with the ability to roll over and become more mobile...

I now go in to see my little 11 month old snoozing away on her belly -- all the time! Granted, I always put her down on her back, but she'll quickly flip herself over on her tummy.

Congrats on the milestone. You might find that your little one sleeps better this way. I can say that's true of mine.

T. :)

Racheal...take a breath and relax!! All those wonderful well meaning people that are telling you to make your child sleep on their back are the same one's that told us that our children should sleep on their tummies, then on their sids, and now....THEY DON'T KNOW!! If your baby is rolling over on her own let her sleep. As long as she isn't getting tangled up in tons of blankets and sheets (that's why they make those great blanket sleepers for winter so you don't need blankets in the crib) then leave her alone. There are many things to worry a parent, consintrate on the biggies!! Now that she is old enough to roll and soon crawl this is just a normal stage of development. Remember you can read millions of words about child development and rearing...but your best guide is common sense! Good luck and best wishes.

Same thing happened to me...and I flipped out too!! :)
Get a Halo Sleep Sack on Ebay (I have a EUC summer one from 6-12 months I could sell to you very cheap). I would advise against getting the Bebe sensor. I'm glad it worked for Christina, but I've heard of these things just making parents nuts! Unless there is a medical reason, I just feel they are unnessesary, but it is your choice...
Again, just ensure crib safety and relax, sweetie...we can't spend the night flipping our babies back (although I did in the beginning! lol) Take care! :)

I worked as a daycare provider for 15+ years for ages 6 week olds-18 months. I was told that once they learned to turned over that they are ok. because you could on longer stop them from rollering over. We just had keep all toys,blankets and another lose objects out of their cribs and keep checking on them. When I had my son and he started rolling over I did the samething with him. Yes, it was scary more at night. I woke up for the first month and kept checking on him. Once I knew he was fine I started sleeping a night again. Hope this helps alittle.

Hi R.,

This is a great milestone that your baby has reached! Don't let it scare you. Once they can turn over themselves - then it is OK for them to be on their bellies. It is really only when they are little that they shouldn't sleep on their bellies. My son started to sleep on his belly as soon as he was able to turn over. You can check with your pediatrician if you want reassurance, but it sounds like everything is pretty normal to me. Congrats on your little one!

J.

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Was a little scary at first, but once they can turn over, it's a whole new ball game. Have faith in knowing that she can turn her head, and is turning only if she's comfortable doing so. Keep an eye on her if it makes you more comfortable, but if she's doing it now, it's only going to continue.

Hi R.,
Yes--it's scary but as long as she can turn her head to the side, she should be fine. Just be sure to keep the crib clear of pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, etc. when she's sleeping.
Do you have a video monitor? I say this so much...but they really are worth every dime! You can see her while she's napping, etc without disturbing her as much as going in, etc. Mine is a Summer brand.
Enjoy that little sweetie--the only true thing most people told me about having a baby is the time goes SO FAST!
Denise

Hello!! It didn't scare me, however I had my first child in 1982. Nowawdays, and I understand the concern, there is too much info about how to get your baby to sleep. God and nature takes care of them. Relax a little, if it makes you feel better, just peek in every so often without actually going into the room, your daughter may expect you to come in all the time as she grows older, they get use to you real quick!! Good luck!!

Honestly, all 4 of my children slept on their belly's from about 2 weeks old. I used to keep checkin on them, listen to the monitor on the highest level of sound, just in case. They are all fine. I think if they are strong enough to roll over now, they are strong enough to move their head or even cry if they 'can't breath'. Which is very rare anyway. Pray over her every nite, all will be ok.

Why don't you get one of those monitors that goes under the crib mattress and monitors the baby's breathing. If the baby stops moving for 20 seconds an alarm goes off. You can find them at Babies R US or Target. Price ranges between $80-120.

Hope this helps.

At 5 months? Not at all. They're old enough to hold their head up by then, and move it side to side. Kids, even younger, will flip to their belly. All 5 of mine did it cuz they liked it better. I'd flip the younger ones back but they'd go back to tummy cuz it felt better for them. What can you do when they're sleeping, lol.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat

Nope, all my sons slept on their stomachs, even as infants they would roll on their side when I had them on their back and cry because they were not on their bellies...as soon as you put them on their belly they would fall right to sleep. They were all able to turn their heads and could not sufficate.

I personally would say let her be, but I also went "against" normal and let my kids sleep on their bellies because that is where they were most comfortable...they are now 6,5,4 & 21 months old.

R.,

My son did the same thing when he was 4 month old and I felt the same...afraid of the SIDS. However, I tried to put him back on his back and he turned back on his belly. Finally, I decided to let him sleep on his belly and he still sleeps on on his belly. Nothing really happened to him and his is as joyful as always.

I wouldn't worry about it. Let her be, especially if she is sleeping more than 4 hours through the night. I used to worry too, my son was a belly sleeper from the time he came home from the hospital. They had him on his belly in the NICU, and was never really comfortable on his back. As long as the crib is clear of soft plushy objects, and your baby is capable of lifting and turning her head, let her be. You can try testing her during a nap when you can watch her. Take a wash cloth and put it next to her face while she's sleeping. If she swats it away or turns her head to get more air, you can feel more comfortable that she knows what to do if she starts having trouble breathing. It is a scary thing, I worried about it for months, but eventually I had to come to grips with the fact that my son was sleeping and that I probably should too. It still didn't stop me from getting up everytime he rolled over, but over time I became more accepting of the fact that his rolling was a sign of his maturing and that he was capable of more that I was prepare to acknowledge. Just ensure that the crib is clear of anything that could be a hazard, and now that it's getting warmer, you don't even have to worry about a blanket much anymore. Good luck!

Okay, first thing yes it's scary and you are not overreacting. I was also a wreck the first time my daughter did it. She was my first. As long as your daughter can turn her head to breath, I would try not to turn her over. She will just keep flipping back, in turn your going to drive yourself crazy. But by all means go and check on her, it will still make you feel better. We have a sensor monitor from BeBe Sounds. The best thing ever invented. It detects a baby's heart beat and breathing. If there isn't any movement for about 20 seconds the alarm goes off, and it's loud. We had a few scares but it was because our daughter moved to the head of the crib and was too far away from the sensor pad whish is put under the matress in the middle. She was very tiny. We use it now with our son who is 9 months old. If your really too worried and you don't have one already I would get this sensor monitor, they have them at Babies 'R' Us. Really it eases your fears. The only way my son would sleep through the night was on his belly, he is still this way. We felt better about doing it because of this monitor. We haven't had any scares with him. Soon enough you daughter will be rolling the other way and then your pretty much in the clear. Hope this was helpful. Good luck to you, and congrats.
C.

Hi Rachel,
There is nothing wrong with being concerned but try to relax a little. Your daughter will be just fine! You will drive yourself nuts turning her over all the time. Babies are just fine sleeping on their bellies (check out the newest research on SIDS) and there is nothing we can do to stop them. I wonder how we all survived and how our mothers and grandmothers and greatgrandmothers etc... survived? I was the same way at first and just realized that my son would be just fine. Wait till you go in and she is doing summersaults and slamming against the crib with her head and laughing! We tend to over react, just my opinion, because the world is so much different now than it was 30+ years ago. She is a normal lil girl turning over. Most babies love to sleep on their bellies, just watch for leakage. Huggies overnites works for us! If you are that worried make sure there are no stuffed animals and such in the crib. My son has a bear and a blanket and his nuk and he sleeps on his belly, and has since 4 months.Good luck! :0)
Chris

I think as long as she can control her head on her own she'll be alright. I would just make sure that there's not extra blankets, stuffed animals, etc in there.

hello R., here is a hint for you...if she is old enough to get on her belly, she is old enough to get on her back on her own again IF she wants to. eventually they learn how to do this and it can not be stopped, they are growing into children. at this stage in her life, you cant stop her from rolling over and soon enough she will be crawling. i would not worry about it. keep doing what you are supposed to do and she will be fine...this i know from experience...5 children later. hope this makes you feel better. K.

Her turning over onto her belly at this age is normal. Soon she will learn to turn back over too. I wouldn't worry about it as long as her head is turned to the side. I am a mother of three (8, almost 3 and 14 months) and they all did this at about the same time.

My baby did this for the first time at 3 weeks and it FREAKED me out. We used the sleep positioners for a littl while, but at 4 months the ped. told me that if he could roll over then he was ready to sleep however he wanted-- just put him down on his back, and don't worry about it if he turns over.

Do be more careful at diaper changing time, though... my little one just fell off the bed I was changing him on because I *thought* he'd be ok there for a minute. He's fine, but it scared me, and I felt terrible.

Hi R.,
My son is 5 months and has been sleeping on his stomach since he was a month and a half old. He would not sleep on his back for more than 30 minutes but when he was on his stomach he started sleeping through the night. As long as he was able to lift his head (which he did) and turn his head I was told it was okay. He has not had any problems and sleeps very well. If your daughter is able to turn her head and lift her head I think it should be fine. You can always talk to your pediatrician, however if she is turning you are probably going to stress the both of you out constantly going in to check on her. Good luck.
S.

Hi Rachel. I am a first time mom as well, and I have a 5 month old. He also has started rolling over onto his belly and sleeping (sometimes he's ok with that position, sometimes it wakes him up and i have to go turn him over.) But from everything that I have heard, if they are rolling over on their own, it is ok to just let them be. I know that's probably difficult to do because we've been told so many times...back to sleep. I'll be anxious to hear some responses to this as well!

I was just as nervous, but my pediatrician was very nice about it and basically told me that if my son could get himself into that position, he could also get himself out of it. Of course for the first week or so, I still checked on him all the time and rolled him back over while he was sleeping. Eventually you'll get used to it and you'll give up the fight.