Sleeping on tummy?

[VictorianSqualor]

I am going to look this up properly but thought someone might know the answer off the top of their head, never had this problem with DD or DS1 but DS2 (14weeks) has just gone to bed and keeps rolling onto his tummy.
It seems this is the way he wants to sleep.
Is it safe yet?

(I have anxiety ishoos as it is so need to be sure it's ok or not)

[BlueberryPancake]

Obviously it's up to you as a parent, the advice is to put them to bed on their back. However, if your DS turnsover,just makr sure there's no blanket in the cot, no teddies, nothing that could obstruct breathing if it would get close to the face. Also, make sure it's a hard mattress. My DS was turning over at that age and I left him on his front with no concern.

Also, no smoking reduces the chances of cot death, I'm sure you know that. Is his weight average? Was he premature?

[VictorianSqualor]

He is a big baby, was born at 41 weeks, is 15lb something (15lb 5oz last week).
Neither me nor DP smoke, nothing is in cot.
He is breastfed and we sidecar so he has the benefits but not the risks of co-sleeping.

[Notanexcitingname]

I thought once they could get there by themselves it was OK? I can't say for definite, though, sorry

I mean, otherwise, what can you do? Superglue? Velcro probably more baby-friendly

[missjennipenni]

are prem babies ta higher risk of cot death?

[BlueberryPancake]

yes but some babies don't turn over until they are like 6 months old. DS 2 was turning over at 3 months so there was nothing I could do, Ijust left him to it. TBH he slept better on his front then on his back.

[TwoCurlyWurlies]

My dd1 did this at the same age. To begin with I was getting up hundreds of times to turn her over. After a few nights of this we bought a sleeping bag so she didn't turn out of her blankets and wake up cold, then left her on her tummy. I was a paranoid first timer then, much more relaxed with ds and dd2, but they lay on their backs like babies are supposed to!

[geisha]

You are obv. aware of all the sensible precautions....however, both my DD's slept on their tummies since they were able to turn and still do (now 2.5 and 4.5). I didn't really like it when they were small, bought a monitor and had nothing in the cot, not even a blanket. DD2 also slept with a dummy , which gave added reassurance as she would not loose go of it and the handle was bulky so she could not move her head iyswim. IMO if your ds wants to sleep on his tum, there is little you can do other than take sensible precautions, esp as he gets older.

[VictorianSqualor]

I'm going to try turning him back on his tummy and see how he fares,
Obv there is nothing I can do if he turns over once I'm asleep.

Notanexcitingname, that's what I thought too, but he can only roll one way atm, wasn't sure if it was once he can roll back iyswim.

[aiden]

hello,

my dd started sleeping on her tummmy as soon as she could roll at around 4mnths. she's 11mnths now and she rolls on her belly as soon as i put her down. can't really do anything about it bar standing over and rolling her back as soon as she does it. i think unless the baby is epileptic or has some kind of breathing problem, it shouldn't be a problem how she sleeps.

if it makes you feel better, i have found dd sleeping sitting up before, with her head dropping down. i check on her more frequently and lay her on her back i do, but it' not something i worry too much about now.

check with your health visitor or gp to put your mind at ease.

[DontNeedAnything]

Can he lift his head and turn his head to teh side when he is on his tummy? That is the important bit

[VictorianSqualor]

Yeah, he can lift/turn his head.

I just tried to roll him over and he went straight back onto his side, then within about a minute was on his belly.

[Seona1973]

this is the official advice:

My baby keeps rolling onto his front. What should I do?

If your baby is less than six months old and you find him sleeping on his tummy, gently turn him onto his back. Don?t feel you need to keep getting up all night to check on this. Whatever your baby?s age, always place him to sleep on his back.

[Alishanty]

My ds suffered from flat head syndrome which is caused by them spending too much time on their back. I know the current advice due to cot death is to put them on their backs but when I mentioned my concerns to the hv re my son's head she said once they are old enough to turn themselves, if they end up on their tummy it is ok. I personally wouldn't keep turning a baby over if they preferred their tummy. Probably because of the flat head thing in my case but my ds was always fine.

[LittleMoosh]

Both my ds's turned over on their tummy's. First was about 3 months and second was at 8 weeks. They both liked to sleep on their tummies. Eldest slept in our room until he was 1 yo then we put him in his own room. My youngest is still in our room (19 months). I felt it was okay for mine to sleep on their tummy as there was nothing in their cot that could obstruct them, my DH and I don't smoke or drink, we don't have pets and I was always checking on them. I felt more easy with them sleeping in our room too.
Basically, if they want to roll over you can't really stop them. Yes, you can put them back on there back but surely they will just roll over again if they feel more comfortable that way. If it was winter then you could put them in a sleeping bag which would restrict their movement more, but as it's not winter that's not really an option.