To let a five month old who can roll sleep on front

[Ijustdontknowwhattodowithmysel]

Even through he can't roll back to front he can roll front to back. Am at end of tether after he was ill and HAVENT slept well for ages and had literally NO sleep last night.

On his back he cries, on his front he sleeps. If I let him go to sleep then turn him he wakes up.

I don't know what to do. I'm so tired. I've put him on his front because I couslnt stand the crying any more and he's sleepig so soundly and in falling asleep.

What should I do?

When they start rolling
a) you can't control which position they sleep in
b) they are capable of changing position if they need to

Also, if he is a light sleeper, it's not likely he'll be too deeply asleep on his front.

So, don't worry about it.

I had one of those, btw, and had to juggle safety vs our (baby and mine) need to sleep.

Both of mine slept on their front from when they could roll. The baby is currently asleep in his usual position on his front with his knees pulled up under him. You can't stay awake all night turning them over!

If he sleeps on his side he just rolls onto his back and then wails. I think it must be reflux like his older brother, it's breaking me as he was fine and then he was ill and we lost any routine at night.

But he hasn't rolled himself onto his front. I've put him there. I know he can roll from front to back if he needs to but he can roll from his back to his front. Does that even make any sense? I'm so tired I've gone boss eyed

DS1 has always slept on his side or front. He slept quite badly until he could roll off his back. It got much better once he could.

If it worries you, you can get one of the fancy baby monitors.

You could try rolling a blanket behind him to prop him on his side so he doesn't roll onto his back?

I've put my dd on her front to sleep since she was six weeks old. I started off doing it when she was napping in the daytime and I could keep a close eye, very soon progressed to overnight sleep. She has been a brilliant sleeper ever since and she's 6 months old now still sleeping the same way.

I understand the worry but if your ds can roll himself back anyway, I don't see the harm myself.

He was awake every hour last night and I gave up in the end, whereas if he sleeps on his front during the day or from 7pm until we go go bed I have to wake him up.

The advice about sleep positions is one among others that aim to reduce sudden death syndrome. The others include not smoking, not overheating the baby, and making sure the baby's nose and mouth won't be covered.
The risk is very small, anyway and, last but not least, your DS can move. Soon he'll be able to go from back to front.

I really think you should stop torturing yourself and let him sleep on his front. You sound very tired.

Ditto what LillyEvans said. Mine slept on their fronts from six weeks old (except the eldest - still stuck to the rule books then). They were just happier that way and they could lift their heads and move them to where they wanted. They've all slept beautifully. It's a bit scary going against advice though!

I think that's the best piece of advice I've ever heard and I'm jount to try and take it Alrhough I can't guarantee I won't lie silently worrying and then turn him over only to instantly regret it.

I wish I worried less :-(

Thank you all

You have to get some sleep. But I know if you're worrying you probably won't sleep much anyway - even if the risks are minimal. I second you getting one of those fancy Angel Care (?) monitors which beeps loudly if the baby stops breathing - I never got one as they are so expensive, and if you're in the same position as me maybe you could borrow one from a friend or buy one cheaply (eBay, Gumtree?). BUT it might be worth the financial outlay for your sleep and sanity! Then he can happily sleep on his front and you can enjoy the benefits. Hope you manage to get some sleep.

Here in the US they say the risks are minimal after four months.

If he can roll I'd say let him sleep :)

Actually, I read (at the time) that the highest risk was between 4 and 6 months.
But yours is moving about and can roll and if he has a light sleep and can lift his head, he will be fine.

thank you all so much. I know it's a stupid thread to start but just didn't know what to do with myself. He slept much better on front

It isn't a stupid thread to start you are worried and knackered if he can roll then I wouldn't worry

OP I went through exactly this when DD was the same age.

I was going nuts, going through to turn her all the time and eventually a friend asked me why I was so tired. When I explained she looked at me like and told me to just let her get on with it.

I did, and she did, and we all slept. Give yourself a break, love.

Mine went for their tummies as soon as they could. If they're capable enough to put themselves there then I'm happy to leave them to it. All our other risk factors are low.

Your state of sleep matters at least as much.

Another tummy sleeper here! DD is 12 weeks and I've relaxed into letting her do it. At 5 months I'd say risks are virtually none. If they can lift and move their head, and don't have lots of blankets underneath them then surely they can breathe just as well. HV will tell you otherwise though, but that's their job.

I hope you've managed to get some sleep op. If you do start putting your ds to sleep on his front you'll stop worrying about it eventually. I think having his primary carer completely zombified due to lack of sleep is probably more of a risk than anything else.

My ds slept on his front from about 4mo and his side from birth (hed curl up so you couldn't lie him on his back). I too was terrified so bought an angelcare movement and video monitor. I know they're not infallible but it saved my sanity till he could roll himself.

I am from the generation who were told to put babies to sleep on their fronts (I can hear the aghast reaction from present day Mums). DS1 is 39 and DD 38. They survived, as did many Mumsnetters who were no doubt put to sleep on their fronts themselves.
We were told that babies were more likely to choke on their feed if put on their backs. How fashions have changed!
If the baby is happiest sleeping on his front that is probably the way to go, and within a few weeks he will be able to roll both ways anyway and then you won't have any control over how he sleeps.