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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Can you train a baby not to sleep on their tummy?

17 replies

peacemakeruk · 10/01/2008 10:15

My 8 month old DD in the past 2 weeks has started sleeping on her tummy after always sleeping on her back. We know the risk of cot death is still high until she's a year old so want to get her out of the habit of doing it but she doesn't like sleeping on her back or side. I've tried letting her go to sleep on her tummy then turning her over - she will either go straight back to sleep on her back and wake up 20 minutes later crying or will wake up straight away and cry because I'm holding her onto her back (in a gentle way not hurting her but she struggles to go back on her tummy). My DH would prefer her to sleep on her side as he's heard that its better for babies. Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop her sleeping on her front?

Thanks.

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meep · 10/01/2008 10:17

I thought that once they turned onto their tummies themselves it was okay and you should just leave them to it?

mishymoo · 10/01/2008 10:19

Agree with meep. As soon as my DS was able to turn over on his tummy, he refused to sleep on his back. He is 2.6 now and still sleeps on his tummy.

Original poster

peacemakeruk · 10/01/2008 10:20

I've not heard that meep. Does anyone else have any thoughts/ideas?

OP posts:

Original poster

peacemakeruk · 10/01/2008 10:21

Also my DH read somewhere that its not good for anyone's internal organs but especially a baby's if they sleep on their fronts.

OP posts:

meemar · 10/01/2008 10:21

Agree - once they are able to turn themselves and turn back you don't need to worry. This can be as young as 5 months.

meep · 10/01/2008 10:22

I always sleep on my front

meemar · 10/01/2008 10:24

Not heard the thing about internal organs before. My DS1 was a tummy baby from so early on (few weeks old) that we just went with it as he wouldn't settle any other way (although we were very paranoid!). He is now 4 and still sleeps on his tummy mostly.

katylou25 · 10/01/2008 10:29

Yep once they can turn over themselves they are fine to sleep on their tummies, as will instinctively move head etc if something in front of it - my two both did from about 6 months onwards and ds2 now 16 months always sleeps on his tummy. Never heard about the organs - and I am highly qualified child care practitioner with medical training - but ??? I would just let her go with what shes comfy with.

Piffle · 10/01/2008 10:30

tummy is fine

Original poster

peacemakeruk · 10/01/2008 10:36

Thanks everyone. I have to admit it doesn't bother me but DD is my 3rd and my DH's 1st child so he is very overprotective of her. I suspect that he will still want her to not sleep on her front despite your reassurances

OP posts:

Nooname · 10/01/2008 10:39

Hi,
My ds did this too - in fact he would never sleep on his back and slept on his side until he could turn onto his front.

What stopped me worrying was looking at the sleeping kids in the babyroom at his nursery MOST of them sleep on their fronts (not the littlies obviously, the ones who can choose how they sleep) - with their butts high up in the air in that cute way!

I don't think it's anything to worry about.

mollythetortoise · 10/01/2008 10:43

have always put both my dc's on their tummies to sleep from birth. IMO they sleep much better that way, i think more secure feeling for them. I know it is one of the risk factors in SIDS but it is one of many other factors and i don't do any of the others (e.g smoking over baby, room to hot etc). The first four months are the highest risk. I wouldn't allow tummy sleeping if you co sleep though only if they sleep in a cot. Personally i would let your dd sleep on her tummy if that is what she prefers. (provided you are not smokers etc)

kindersurprise · 10/01/2008 10:50

My paediatrician also advised that once they can turn over then it is ok to let them sleep on their tummies. DS was about 8 months I think. He still sleeps like that (with his bum in the air, so cute)

We used to put DD on her side as she was getting a very flat head. Not for nighttimes, just during the day when she slept in the pram. We put a rolled up towel behind/around her so that she could not roll over. I suspect that your 8mth old DD is too active for that though.

I would let her be. The lack of sleep/disturbes sleep is likely to be more harmful

Seona1973 · 10/01/2008 13:27

Both my dd and ds ended up tummy sleepers once they could roll over and that was around 5/6 months for both of them. I'd let your lo sleep in whatever position she finds comfortable especially as she is 8 months old and able to move herself about a bit more.

This is the info from the SIDS website:

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.

PrettyCandles · 10/01/2008 13:33

PFB?

Let the LO be. Once she can turn herself over she can sleep however she wants - she'll be fine. She's now got the ability to move her head if her breathing is restricted.

Actually, sleeping on your font may be bad for an adult's spine, but a baby's spine is far more flexible and is quite unharmed by it. If anything, stomach-sleeping is more comfy for a baby with wind as they can burp, which is much harder and more uncomfortable if they are lying on their back.

Just wait until she starts sleeping face-down with her head in her teddybear's lap!

Acinonyx · 10/01/2008 19:19

You have to wonder how the human race survived when babies were allowed to sleep as they liked and weren't turned over like grilling sausages.

She's fine - leave her in peace. There are much bigger risk factors than that and I'm sure you don't do any of them.

Ubergeekian · 10/01/2008 19:49

There is very low risk from cot death after about 3 months. The main reason for having them sleep on their backs is that they haven't the strength to roll over if they start smothering. If they rolled themselves face down then this is by definition not a problem any more.

His Nibs' favourite sleeping position from about 12 months has been chest down, face to one side, knees tucked under, rump up. It's unbelievably cute!

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