Sleeping on her front at 5 weeks

[Freyfreysmum]

Yes, I know, alarm bells, everywhere.
However, dd2 literally screeches when she is on her back, however, padded, tilted, etc. Put her on her front and within minutes she is zzz. So, what do I do? I know I did this as a baby, but I never had this with dd1, and cant help but think this is extremely stupid. x

You either accept the increased risk ( I am not sure how much it is) of the baby sleeping on its front and enjoy sleep, or, you attempt to continue to do it the 'right way'.

Given the circumstances, it does not appear unreasonable to me that you let your baby sleep on her front, as long as she is in your room. Perhaps you could invest in one of those monitors that go under the baby to monitor responses if you are worried about the risks of front sleeping.

Yes youre right, its just it is lovely to see her so restful, and she wakes up happy too.

I dont know the exact risks but wanted to add that DS1 has slept on his front since about day 2. He managed to flip onto his front in the maternity unit when he was born much to the amaze of the MW who said it couldnt happen and then watched him. At the national children's hospital at 2.5wks (for a totally unrelated thing) the consultant said DS1 would be a rugby player as he was able to support his own head. No matter how many times I put him down on his back, he simply rolled over. I too was paranoid about SIDS and got an Angelcare monitor with breathing pad (although we mostly co-slept as I felt he was safer in my arms being my PFB )

Dd akways slept on her front. I allowed it for 2 reasons: 1) she held her head up when handed to me after birth and 2) she gagged on her back and I was afriad of choking. She did sleep very well on her tummy and rightly or wrongly, I never worried about it.

I only have one dd, she was born in Oman where SIDS wasn't heard of. I had read good mothering magazine or something like that and pointed out to the nurses on the ward that she should sleep on her back. They laughed. When we got home, I tried and tried to get her to sleep on her back and she screamed and screamed. I capitulated and put her on her front and the result was peace. I tried to do what was best for her, she didn't like it so common sense took over and she slept on her belly. She still does and she is 8.6.

My 18wk dd has slept on her front for her daytime naps since she was about 7 wks old (she was lifting her head up with ease at 3wks!). For some reason she wouldn't settle on her back during the day although she would at night. Then at about 14wks she wouldn't settle on her back at night either! After LOTS of should we/shouldn't we we relented & put her down on her front at night as well & she settled straight away.

When i mentioned it to my HV she 'reminded' me that the guidlines were for babies to sleep on their backs but unfortunately my DD obviously hadn't read the guidlines .

As a pp has mentioned, it is still the norm in several countries for babies to be put down on their bellies.

You will no doubt get people telling you you're wrong & it shouldn't be done (blah, blah, blah) but all babies are different. As long as baby can easily lift their head, are in the same room as you, don't get over heated & it's the only way baby will settle, then what are you to do?

Did you know the increased risk of SIDS is because babies sleep better on their fronts? Sleep better!!!!I was astounded when I discovered this. Basically they sleep so deeply there is an increased risk they'll just stop breathing resulting in very very rare cases of SIDS. My dd2 slept much better on her front in the early weeks but I worked hard to get her sleeping on her back as I am too paranoid to relax knowing she's on her tummy - I've been conditioned!!!

You could get one of those movement baby monitors that you put under the mattress such as www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_61_10751_-1_14054_2174_10001_14054

Other factors in cases of SIDS are: did you smoke during pregnancy? Is there any smoking nmow in the house at all? Was the birth weight normal? Was baby premature?

My DS 2 slept on front from about 2 months, although at that age I'd let him fall asleep on his front and turn him on his back until he was about 5 months old. Then he would sleep on his front. Also, he was in our bedroom which is the recommendation.

I'm pretty sure DS2 was sleeping on his from early on (possibly when he could lift his head - can't remember). I know I propped him on his side, on the recommendation of the HV at the beginning. He still sleeps on his front (age 6).

He wasn't in my room either.

A monitor might be the way to go if you're worried, but I'd go for it.