To consider putting my baby down on her tummy for sleep?

[needanewusernameplz]

Flamer disclaimer - fully aware of SIDS risk, don't want to kill my baby. Keep your flaming comments at bay please.

I have a three week old newborn, and two couples in my NCT group are happily putting their babies (aged 6 and 7 weeks) down on their tummies for sleep. And they sleep beautifully on their stomachs. My sister also did this as soon as they could lift and turn their heads.

I have been reading that paediatricians all tend to agree that babies sleep better on their stomachs, but obviously the SIDS risk overrides this.

Does anyone put their babies down on their tummies?

If you are suffering with a lack of sleep to the point of you being unsafe, and you've tried literally everything else, then I'd be considering it as a last resort.
I think there are other options though, especially if you're in a couple. For instance, DH and I did 'shifts' at night, so I got a solid 5 hours and he got a solid 5 hours too (8pm-6am). It meant a compromise on ebf and I expressed to cover those 5 hours, but we felt that was a better compromise that risking sids.

I thought I’d been pretty laid back what with co-sleeping and sometimes letting my 5 month old doze off on his side! But putting him down on his front never even occurred to me! I don’t think I’d have been able to sleep worrying. And 3 weeks is very young with very limited movement/ strength. I’d try more or less anything and everything but. To my mind, not sleeping on their front, not sleeping on a sofa and not using duvets, pillows etc are the bits that aren’t grey areas.

That Anne Diamond article is fascinating but so so sad - needed to give my 7 month old an extra big hug afterwards. Back to sleep was heavily emphasised at my NCT classes. We've had several conversations since the babies were able to roll where a few would roll to their stomach when put down on their back (around 5 months-ish) where the mums were too worried to let them sleep that way. From what I've read once they can roll and pick their own position it's safer? But obviously that's much later than 6 weeks. I'm glad that mine bloody hates being on her tummy, but she does roll to her side quite often to sleep. I'd say this is one guideline that you don't compromise unless it leaves you in an even riskier position (baby asleep on you in a chair and you falling asleep etc).

No, don't.

Yes, once they roll themselves it’s fine.

I did it and got referred to social services !
The HV visited (this was in 2006) my son was asleep on the floor in front room on his stomach aged about 2 weeks and she referred me
She didn’t even put all the facts in the referral- he had severe reflux and cmpa and that day he had been doing tummy time and fell asleep on his play at so I covered him and had sat on the sofa then she knocked!
The referral stated ‘unsuitable sleeping area’ and ‘not following safety advice’
I refused to see them when they called just explained on the phone and told them to call the gp to conform the cmpa etc

No. The Back To Sleep campaign has helped SIDS reductions massively. For a reason.

Just because you know someone doing it doesnt make it right.

My ds (now hulking great teen) would not sleep at all on his back, it was an exhausting battle.

So when he could lift his head I’d lay him to sleep on his tummy and watch him. At night it would be on his back

As a baby, I was the same.

You have to do what you can to help them sleep and grow, as long as you watch them and don’t leave them unattended

In short, no. The vast majority of babies put to sleep on their stomach will be fine. Like the vast majority of babies who travel in a car without a car seat. Unfortunately the consequences for the small minority who aren't fine are unthinkable. So no. Wait until they can roll over by themselves. And hope with everything you've got that the babies of your NCT friends are not one of the few that unfortunately are not fine

And if you are struggling with early parenthood and that's why you are considering putting your baby to sleep on their front, I suggest you contact your Health Visitor for support.

I wouldn't OP, it's not worth the risk.

No way. Never. My 7month old has started to roll and sleep on her belly and im Freaking out every night. Even though she can roll lift head etc

I have never put my healthy baby on theirs fronts to sleep and not should you!
(This is just an interesting story, not a recommendation).
However, when my last baby was born he wasn't producing surfactant on his lungs. Half an hour after birth he was hooked up to a CPAP machine for the next 6 days. They flipped him from his tummy to his back every couple of hours to allow his lungs to drain and he was always far more unsettled and his breathing, temperature, blood pressure etc far more erratic when he was on his back. The special care midwives explained how it (front sleeping) works like a splint to brace his lungs and make it a lot easier for him. While I found this fascinating (back sleeping caused alarms to go off all the time so the difference was palpable) I was never told to ever put him on his tummy and I never, ever did. It's far to dangerous for a healthy baby to sleep that way. The back to sleep campaign had saved so many baby's lives. You can't ignore that.

@mummabearfourbabybears

Yes that's why the recommendations used to be to put babies to sleep on their fronts, because their oxygenation is better and they still do it in SCBU sometimes. Also with adults (and recently with Covid) they've been flipping them to ventilate them while on their front for better oxygenation.
It's interesting that it conflicts with SIDS which some think is a build up of CO2. Weird stuff!

I have a good friend who I've known since pre-school and always thought he was an only child. Only found out decades later (from my mum who knew his when we were small) that he had a baby sister who died of SIDS in the 80s. You assume something can't be that bad if you don't know anyone affected by it, but hearing the story sent a chill down my spine as most cases probably stay family tragedies and are obviously not brought up again decades later.

I was militant about keeping DD sleeping on her back even though she woke up a lot and ended up with a flat head (which rounded out by itself after she could sit up so it wasn't a problem).

Both my DD & DS slept on my chest in my bed for a lot of their early months whilst I was propped up against the headboard so not totally flat on their tummies but still on the tummy. Not sure if it was the sound of my heartbeat that soothed then or being in their tummy but it worked for me as I'm such a light sleeper and was alert the moment so even slight moved. I would however never recommend anyone else do what I did.

I would agree that unless you have a particular reason it wouldn’t seem necessary at only a few weeks old. It does help with babies with reflux and colic and it does seem that they sleep more deeply which is where the danger comes as they literally forget to breathe. They won’t suffocate on a modern mattress with no toys, blankets etc to get in the way. I would also only do it in combination with a breathing monitor such as an Angelcare.
My ex neighbour was a long standing paediatric A&E nurse at a children’s hospital and worked on the child protection team. We had our boys at the same time and she told me her son was sleeping on his front and she had no concerns for his safety. She said in 20 years of doing her job every single cot death incident had involved co-sleeping. Also premature boys sleep on their front in hospital and as a result my youngest still does at 5 yrs old.

If you know about the sids risk why even consider it? 3 week old babies just don't sleep well. Fact.

Also premature boys sleep on their front in hospital and as a result my youngest still does at 5 yrs old.

Because they're constantly monitored by nurses and equipment.

Fucking hell don't ever fall asleep holding your baby. Even if you are a light sleeper. A baby who is dying of cot death probably won't move, so you won't wake up until it's too late.

Both my DD & DS slept on my chest in my bed for a lot of their early months whilst I was propped up against the headboard so not totally flat on their tummies but still on the tummy.

Please please please don’t do this. There are Very very few deaths of babies sleeping alone on their backs in a cot with their feet to the end of the bed and their covers under their shoulders or in a sleeping bag.

Now that almost all babies are put to sleep on their backs the vast majority of deaths occur in unsafe co-sleeping arrangements e.f when sofa sharing or with babies sleeping on their parents chests. If there is any alcohol, drugs or cigarettes involved then the risks are either higher.