4 week old seems to hate being on her back

7 replies

stabiliser15 · 28/02/2011 18:45

Just wondering whether anyone had any problems getting their baby to sleep flat on their back, and if so, what they did to encourage it?

My 4 week old DD loves being on her tummy and frequently falls asleep on her tummy on either mine or DH's chest. However, even when we think she is deeply asleep, she will wake and scream if put down on her back. The only thing she will tolerate is a chair that almost fully reclines but is definitely at an incline. We always try and get her into the moses basket but inevitably end up letting her sleep in the chair at its most reclined position. We do have a cot bed for her, and have tried this too, to no avail, which makes us think its an issue about being on her back, rather than just a dislike of the moses basket.

I'm just wondering whether there are any opinions on whether DD being in her reclined chair is an issue at this stage and how we encourage her to either settle or simply tolerate being put down on her back once asleep? Thanks.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

narmada · 28/02/2011 19:27

You could try swaddling (she might like the 'tucked-in' sensation that being on her front gives her) and propping the cot/ moses at an angle - but if not I think the reclined chair will have to be your short-term saviour -she needs to sleep as do you.

Lots of babies - particularly very sicky, refluxy ones, don't like aleeping flat on their backs. It's hard to know what to do, though, isn't it?

You can buy these little clip-on breathing sensors which sound an alarm if no movement is detected - I think they're called Respisense or something like that....

Original poster

stabiliser15 · 28/02/2011 21:40

Thanks Narmada, will give the swaddling a try and look into those breathing sensors too. But think we'll just stick with the chair for now and see if we can coax her into the cot at some stage!

OP posts:

Newbabynewmum · 01/03/2011 04:30

Not what everyone will recommend but my DD slept on her side for the first 6 weeks of her life and since then has slept on her front. I have tried but she refuses to sleep on her back! Saying that she is a freakishly strong baby & has always had great head control etc! Life got a bit easier when I stopped worrying & accepted that this is how it is!

Pollo · 01/03/2011 04:44

Agree with Newbabymum. My now 16 yearold daughter just could and would not settle on her back. As soon as she was on her side or front she would go off to sleep very quickly. Get a sensor if that would help reassure. You all need sleep, not just the babe!

Dred · 01/03/2011 06:14

hiya, no advice really, but i know what your going through. my ds would only sleep on his side & went nuts when i put him on a changing mat. He does have reflux.. He's 10mo now, he has got a little bit better, & he sleeps on his tummy now. We do co sleep so i don't know if that reduces the risk?

Dred · 01/03/2011 06:14

Original poster

stabiliser15 · 01/03/2011 10:00

Thanks all, my DD does appear to have good head control too.

My mum said that when I was a baby the official advice then was that babies had to go on their front and I have slept on my front all my life! Interestingly when we were in hospital, the midwife took my DD so I could sleep a bit (was recovering from a EMCS) and said that she was much happier on her tummy and did either myself or DH sleep that way?

I guess we will keep trying her on her back but will investigate all the sensor suggestions and may just have to accept that is what she prefers as Newbabymum did!

Thanks all for your posts.

OP posts:

Flip