is it ok to put new baby to sleep on his side?

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Have achieved getting him to sleep in basket for the first time thereby reducing SIDS risk...yay! but he will only sleep curled on his side, whether in the car seat or basket (obv in pram he is flat but not much choice there) he isn't moving, blanket is well away from his face, is it safe?

What happens if you try to gently roll him on to his back once he's asleep? I think (and hope that others who know more may be along soon) that one of the problems with sleeping on side is that they can accidentally roll on to their fronts, which increases the SIDS risk.

studies say its not. but with one of my dc i found this was better. dc could breathe better, slept better and cried less. when she was on her back she was constantly stopping breathing, choking, coughing and was restless untill we turned her round.

somebody will probably come along and give me an ear bashing. but i say go with your instinct. if that what she wants to do then go for it. but alternate the sides each night to try stop getting funny shaped head.

oh and we used to prop her up with a soft bf pillow around her lower half to about the height of her chest. not high enough its in her face. but enough to stop her rolling onto from.
we stopped this procedure once she was old enough to rol from back to front herself.

Ok thanks! He's really too small to roll anywhere, front or otherwise, but that could change very quickly I know!

In my hospital all the MWs rolled up a blanket behind the newborns so they would sleep on their sides, and told everyone not to tell anyone.

My ds2 would not settle on his back. He slept beautifully on his back without a whimper. I felt like a bad mother admitt8ig it to my HV wo smiled and said to me 'Well, he is not aware of the studies that have been done is he? He is confortable sleeping like that so...' Advice and studies say safer n back but of you have a baby that just won't settle on their back what can you do?

DD1, from birth refused to sleep on her back. She would kick her legs to twist her body over on to her side. I was that a newborn could do this. On day 3 I told the midwife that I couldn't stop her and I'd have to take the risk. She said in her opinion it was safe. But DON'T be tempted to roll a blanket and put it against his stomach to stop him rolling forwards, because it can over heat his internal organs.

slept beautifully on his front

ds1 would only sleep on front.dd who was 1 year when he arrived used to get me in trouble with hv by putting all her babies to sleep on their bellies.

Babies in special care are often put on theit tummies, because their ribs are expanded enabling them to breathe better.

Of course they are all wired up to the alarms if they should stop breathing for any reason.

I'm not saying you should or you shouldn't ... its your decision at the end of the day.

my LO was like that, i used to roll her onto back after a while. she is 8 weeks now and will sleep on her back.

One of mine slept significantly better on her side than on her back, I would prop her on a rolled up towel so she couldn't roll onto her tummy. She would settle instantly on her side but would fuss around for a long time on her back, we later discovered she suffered from terrible acid reflux. As a first time mum I really strung myself out over it as all the research says they should sleep on their back. At the end of the day I think you have to go with your instinct.

Both of mine have slept from their sides from birth. I think it's ok tbh, and as we co-slept and breast fed, there wasn't really any other way that they could sleep, iyswim. The only place ds will sleep on his back is in his pram. In bed, you put him flat, and he turms immediately to his side searching for a boob!

Both my DSs slept on their sides and neither liked/like sleeping on their backs. I always think babies look uncomfortable on their backs as their arms sort of flail above their heads. I wouldnt worry about "research" - the current advice will probably be different in a few years time anyway.

DS would only sleep on his side too. If I put him on his back he would do what others have already described - writhe about, choke, breathe unevenly. I think he has reflux which must make sleeping on his back quite uncomfortable. Also we co-sleep so he always likes to be 'poised, ready to attack a boob' should the need arise .

He is 17wo now and sometimes will sleep on his back (he starts off on his side then rolls onto his back later) but his breathing is far more regular and he sleeps more soundly when he is on his side. He hasn't rolled over onto his front in his sleep yet even though he can easily do so when he is awake. At his age I think he would wake up and holler if he ended up stuck on his front though.

I asked my HV about it and she said not to worry and that it is quite common.

Yep, one of mine had reflux and always slep better on his side. Now that he can turn over himself he ALWAYS turns himself onto his side or front immediately I put him down.