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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Does anybody put their LO to sleep on their tummy?

14 replies

Nezzi · 19/10/2008 20:25

My LO is 7 wks old and will only sleep on his tummy. The only other way we can get him to sleep is if he co-sleeps with us either in DP's arms or in mine.
If we put him on his own on his back he gets very upset and won't settle for more than a few minutes even if we swaddle him. When we put him on his tummy he settles instantly and when he wakes he's very relaxed and rarely cries.
What are your experiences of this?

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spicemonster · 19/10/2008 20:29

Me. I have always put him down on his tummy or his side as he wouldn't sleep any other way. I was worried about the SIDS risk though so always co-slept. He still sleeps on his tummy and he's 19m

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nickytwoooohtimes · 19/10/2008 20:30

Ds liked his back but my friend's lo hated it so was on his tummy. They just kept him right next to them.

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Cadbury · 19/10/2008 20:31

All of mine have slept on their tummy. Actually the first two would only sleep being cuddled for a looooooong time but the third would never settle on her back. As a new born, I would lay her on her side, all swaddled, but it wasn't long before she chose to lie on her front and whenever I turned her, she would turn back.

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Nezzi · 19/10/2008 20:50

I've spoken to friends too and only 1 out of 5 of their children would sleep on their back. It seems quite common but I can't help but worry
Saying that, co-sleeping & sleeping on the settee is not recommended either and we do both of those...????

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snooks · 19/10/2008 20:56

nezzi we do and use one of these. The sensor mat alarms if no movement (ie breathing) is detected from the baby after 20 seconds - it puts our mind at rest when we are asleep too.

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snooks · 19/10/2008 20:56

whoops - hang on

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snooks · 19/10/2008 20:57

here!

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snooks · 19/10/2008 21:00

It reassures you when you groggily (is that a word?) pick your baby up for a night feed at 3am and forget to turn the thing off - alarm sounds very loudly!

Saw it recommended on here on a similar thread and a friend had one whose baby also slept on his front.

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Nezzi · 19/10/2008 21:25

Thank you snooks, I'll have a closer look at that tomorrow, it seems like a decent price if it means all 3 of us can get a good sleep.
p.s. I'm sure groggily is a word, even if only to MNers

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dannyb · 20/10/2008 13:38

Only you can decide if you want to put your baby to sleep on its tummy. It is much much safer for your baby to sleep on his back.
Pre 1992 there were about 2000 SIDS deaths a year, since the introduction of the "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1992 deaths have dropped dramatically year on year stabilising at about 250 a year. This is purely from putting babies on their backs. The same results are backed up all over the world.

Co sleeping with your baby on its tummy will not reduce the risk as co sleeping is slightly more risky than a baby sleeping in a cot in your room for the first 6 months. The risk is only very slightly increased if your baby is sleeping on its back nowhere near a duvet or pillow with 2 non smoking, non drinking, non drug taking parents. If you add any of those factors into co-sleeping then the risks increase greatly.

The greatest risk however, is sleeping on a sofa with your baby, it increases the risk of SIDS by 50 times. Far more SIDS deaths take place outside the cot than in it!

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VASTlargeginandbloodymary · 20/10/2008 13:41

I have 6 children and 2 of them have been tummy sleepers, no way they settled otherwise.

I did worry but i BF and co slept while they were tiny anyway. They always went to bed\pram for a sleep in the day so not on their tummy on the couch.

Hope it helps and good luck!

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CuppaTeaJanice · 20/10/2008 13:47

Nezzi will he go to sleep on his side? Then you can roll him onto his back once he's asleep.

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littleboo · 20/10/2008 13:49

2 of my 3 slept on their tummies.... they are now 12 and 8. As above really no way they would settle in anyother way. just be careful regarding all other sids things, feet to foot, not too warm, not smoking etc etc. Sure he will be fine.

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Nezzi · 20/10/2008 16:05

We adhere to all the other SIDS advice but it's impossible not to worry about him sleeping on his tummy.
Is sleeping on their fronts the biggest SIDS risk? If yes, does anybody know why it's so dangerous? Is it in-case they are sick?

Cuppa, I've tried him on his side, he doesn't like that either. Right now he's in a sling, it's the only way I can get anything done today. He's very sleepy & clingy today, could it be a growth spurt?