HELP!! DD keeps sleeping on tummy. Breathing problems...

[SleepyCaz]

Really need urgent advice. My DD 11 months has had frequent trips to the GP and hospital with recurrent wheezing and chest problems. She has a Ventolin inhaler, given with a spacer and fce mask, and she was having it each morning and before bed, 2 puffs. However, this last week her wheezing became so bad I took her to the Walk In Centre as A and E is miles away and I don't drive. They told me to give her her EIGHT puffs of her inhaler every 4 hours and put her on 3 days of steroids, Prednisolone. If she is not improved by Monday they will admit her to hospital. She seems much better today and is hopefully over this bout. The problem I am having is that she is ALWAYS going off to sleep on her tummy. It's not safe i it? I put her down awake, on her back, in her grobag, but when I go up 20 mins later, she is ALWAYS on her tummy. I roll her over which disturbs her and I feel guilty, because she has been having trouble sleeping with her bad chest. DH says maybe sleeping on her tummy is more comfy and eases her breathing, but I thought it was always 'Back to Sleep...' or is that just for up to 6 months. Please help. She is in there on her tum now and looks so happy and peaceful, while I am in the next room having to restrain myself from running in and rolling her over!!

Sorry so long. Stressed.

Thanks.

once a baby can rollover on it's own, it's fine for them to sleep on their tummies.

I think sleeping on her tummy is fine unless you've been specifically advised to stop her - most babies/small children sleep on their tummies once they can roll over.

The risk with tummy sleeping is that they can't lift their heads or change position when they're really little.

actually if you think about how your body is made - she probably finds it easier to breath whilst on her tummy.

as an asthmatic - i feel like i am drowning if i am lay horiontal on my back.

however when i do have breathing diffuculties, my natural position is to lean forward.

if you are very worried, i don't think it would do any harm to put her to sleep in a more upright position - to help her breath - perhaps in a pram?

after 6 months they can find their own sleeping position so I would leave her on her tummy if she is comfy that way.

Bit late, but just wanted to add this: dd2 has a floppy larynx (laryngomalacia) which meant that her airway was always more narrow than it should be. She was nursed on her tummy when in hospital at 4 weeks (bronchiolitis) and when I got her home, I started putting her on her side to sleep wedged with towels. Well before six months, she learnt to roll onto her tummy and to this day - aged 3 - she still chooses to sleep on her tum: its easier to breathe that way, for her.

So I'd echo what the others have said - at her age, I wouldn't worry, and as you say, you can't stop her anyway!

Thanks so much everyone.

After a week of turning her over as soon as she rolled onto her tummy, last night I left her to sleep as she was... and she slept through until nearly 8am this morning!!

Her chest seemed to bother her less in her sleep too, much less noisy breathing and coughing.

Sorry late update, all busy!!

Meyy Xmas to you all, and thanks again