Does your baby sleep on their tummy?

[BellaBoo0512]

Thomas currently sleeps on his back at night as this is what I have been told to do. He doesn't sleep very well and seems to be a lot more comfortable on his front. During the day when I am awake he will fall asleep on his front on my chest, if I put him in his Moses basket on his back he will scream the house down and not settle, whereas if I put him on his tummy he wakes up briefly and then drifts back off and has a good sleep. He suffers with colic so I don't know if this is why he prefers tummy sleeping.

I've asked a few of my friends who have children and the majority of their little ones have/do tummy slept/sleep. Thomas will be 7 weeks old on Thursday and has a strong neck, I keep a close eye on him when he is on his stomach and he always puts his head to the side so he can breathe.

People keep encouraging me to allow Thomas to sleep on his stomach through the night and that he will be fine but I am really reluctant to do so just incase. I know that years ago they used to recommend that babies slept on their front and not on the back and now it is the other way round.

I was just wandering how many mummies are out there whose babies sleep on their tummy and if so, how old was your LO when they started to tummy sleep?

 

[Mrs Mc]

Mine now sleep on their tummies (started about 2 months ago).
However it is much safer for them to sleep on their backs and its only considered ok once LO can roll themselves onto their tummies and roll back.
Even though they do sleep on their tummies,I always put them to bed on their backs. They roll over straight away but some reason it makes me feel better than if I put them on their tummy

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Mine now sleep on their tummies (started about 2 months ago).
However it is much safer for them to sleep on their backs and its only considered ok once LO can roll themselves onto their tummies and roll back.
Even though they do sleep on their tummies,I always put them to bed on their backs. They roll over straight away but some reason it makes me feel better than if I put them on their tummy

That's what I'm trying to do, at least if I put him down on his back and he rolls over then I will know he will be able to roll back onto his back. I just want him to be comfortable but safe too. I don't think I'd be able to sleep if I put him down on his tummy at night now x

 

[wemustntpanic]

One morning after my OH had done the night feed I awoke to find my LO on is tummy sleeping more soundly and calmly than he ever had before. I was really mad at OH at first but had to admit that he had slept really well and seemed more rested all day. I wouldn't be able to sleep myself at all with him on his tummy but we do have an angelcare movement sensor and some nights if he really won't settle on his back but goes straight to sleep on his front what are you going to do?

I always worry when he's on his front though and never let him sleep like it if I'm not in the room with him.

 

[Seity]

Yes, both my boys have been tummy sleepers from birth.

 

[SaraEmily]

I really don't think you should. I know I've had plenty of family and friends say "it'll be fine" too but putting babies to sleep on their backs has cut the SIDS rate in half. So obviously, for plenty of babies, it wasn't fine.

Of course it's up to you, but that's my opinion, and it's the current safety guideline. I'd hate for something to happen to my LO when I was doing something I knew wasn't safe.

 

[SaraEmily]

Oh and just wanted to add, a great alternative to tummy sleeping that helped my LO was the Rock n Play Sleeper. It allows them to sleep on their backs, but at an incline and most babies love it. Mine slept through the night in this from a very young age. And if your LO happens to have reflux, it's a life saver.

 

[Seity]

https://www.heracliteanriver.com/?p=97

 

[sequeena]

Mine would sleep on his belly from birth - on my chest. In our bed he started belly sleeping at 6 months (turned himself one night)

 

[SaraEmily]

I get that it often helps babies sleep better, but I'd still prefer to put my trust in medical doctors instead of someone on the internet. Also in that article it says infants who get put to sleep on their tummies who normally have always slept on their backs have the SIDS risk increased by 20 times. Wouldn't that apply to OP's baby?

 

[staralfur]

My LO hated being put on her back as a newborn. I also noticed that she slept much better on her tummy on my chest. I asked her doctor about it and she said some babies are really just tummy sleepers. Said it was a judgment call if I wanted to let her sleep on her tummy or not.

We ended up cosleeping and she slept on her side.

It's really up to you. I do believe, like her doctor said, that some babies will be much more comfortable and sleep better on their tummies. But if you're not comfortable with it then that's okay, too. Perhaps you could put a blanket or something underneath him so that he's laying on his side?

 

[bananaz]

My LO also hated being flat on her back so at that age she slept swaddled in her Rock'n'Play, which put her in a reclined upright position that she tolerated much better. When I moved her to her crib at 5 months she had already been rolling for a few months so it was okay to let her sleep on her belly at that point.

Personally I wouldn't be comfortable putting a 7-week-old to sleep on his tummy, regardless of neck strength. My daughter's pediatrician said that side sleeping is okay if that's the only way they'll settle, but belly-sleeping is really to be avoided until they are rolling into that position themselves. Of course ultimately it's your call though.

 

[Seity]

Knowledge is power.
Back is better to reduce risk of SIDS, but it's not always best for mom and baby.

 

[SaraEmily]

Knowledge is power.
Back is better to reduce risk of SIDS, but it's not always best for mom and baby.

I'm just suggesting she try other things first before trying tummy sleeping. Like bananaz said, swaddled in a Rock n Play is a great idea.

 

[Seity]

Knowledge is power.
Back is better to reduce risk of SIDS, but it's not always best for mom and baby.

I'm just suggesting she try other things first before trying tummy sleeping. Like bananaz said, swaddled in a Rock n Play is a great idea.

I agree!

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Sorry I mustn't of made myself clear. I only allow Thomas to tummy sleep when I am awake and can keep an eye on him and I won't be allowing him to sleep through the night on his stomach until he can sit up and roll over. I was just curious as to how many of your babies have tummy slept and from what age because people keep telling me that their child has done so from a young age. A friend also suggested swaddling but the day I brought Thomas home I did this and the midwife went mad at me saying he can over heat.

 

[SaraEmily]

Sorry I mustn't of made myself clear. I only allow Thomas to tummy sleep when I am awake and can keep an eye on him and I won't be allowing him to sleep through the night on his stomach until he can sit up and roll over. I was just curious as to how many of your babies have tummy slept and from what age because people keep telling me that their child has done so from a young age. A friend also suggested swaddling but the day I brought Thomas home I did this and the midwife went mad at me saying he can over heat.

Well in that case I don't see the problem. My LO's been tummy sleeping on my chest during the day since she was born. As long as I'm awake I don't see the big deal. And swaddling is perfectly fine, just dress LO in something light underneath, or even just a diaper.

 

[SpotlessMind]

Could you try allowing him to get into his deep sleep on his tummy, then rolling him onto his back? My LO could sleep through the house going up in a tornado when she gets in that nice deep sleep.

 

[MetalMaiden]

i just looked over at my monitor and see that LO is asleep on her tummy for the first time... she has been flipping herself like bacon since she figured it out 2 days ago "for real" (i've seen her do it accidentally once or twice a couple months ago) and i'm not really sure what to do right now DF and I both are tummy sleepers so can I really blame her?? kind of makes me nervous, but wondering since she can move herself pretty well now short of crawling i should leave her? sorry to hijack your thread but i guess i am meaning to say i am stalking! we were completely advised against swaddling at the hosp too (cuz they cant move something if something were to fall over her face.... hmm nothing would be by there anyway but ok, i'm a FTM i just want to be as cautious as I can)... i guess same goes for tummy sleeping.. in your case, i either wudn't let LO sleep that way or else i would make sure nothing is in LO's vicinity and maybe in an armless sleep bag or something? makes me nervous either way (for yours and mine)! i understand how you feel! if you're supervising ur LO tho i don't see a prob with it... mine however .. i will be sleeping soon and i would literally have to tie her down since she started doing this!

 

[SaraEmily]

It's crazy how different the advice is that we're given! When I left the hospital the nurses all said to make sure LO stayed swaddled because she needed to stay warm.