5 mo sleeping on tummy - dangerous?

[lovingpickles]

5 month old DS has just a few days ago started rolling from his back to his front and now seems to like sleeping on his tummy. He isn't very good yet at turning from his front to his back, and I'm a bit worried about SIDS... Am I overreacting?

I think once they're rolling there's not much you can do. And the risks goes down dramatically. If that's what he wants to do, he'll just keep doing it.

By 'not very good' at turning front to back, do you mean he can?

Can he reliably turn his head from one wide to another while sleeping. Mine did this at 5-mo but when I watched him sleep I realised he was capable of turning his head in his sleep and so not going to get stuck and suffocate. He screamed himself awake if I tried to put him o his tummy so I just left him and worried, but he was fine and a couple of months later decided he would rather sleep on his back.

He has only ever rolled from front to back by accident - his hands close together and leaned to one side so rolled over.

My 2 older children are now 22 and 19 yrs and we were told by the midwives in those days to put them on their tummies to sleep and they all survived so dont worry to much . I used to be paranoid with the first one about SIDS if he ended up on his BACK !!!!!
Unfortunately once baby can roll onto front you have to try not to worry too much. . as long as he is on a safe baby mattress it should be ok.

It sounds like he has a good level of muscle control. And accidental or not, he can do it. I wouldn't worry. The main risk for SIDS is between 2 and 4 months.

maltesers, the back to sleep campaign has reduced incidence of SIDS by 50%. It is best practice but I think once they have the option then they choose themselves.

There are those breathing monitors but if he's moving around there's also the chance of him rolling off it and scaring you anyway.

Try not to worry too much. I always thought that the risks go down a lot once they start to get a little more mobile. How close is he to 6 months? Because after that they say it's ok to leave them on their tummies anyway, as long as you still put them down on their back.