Putting baby to sleep on side

[GlenBelt]

Just wondering how many people do this and if so, whether health professionals have had a problem with it. Or even better, has anyone managed to get a side or stomach sleeper to sleep comfortably on their backs.

My ds is 5.5 months old, can roll to front and back and if you put him to sleep on his back he will either scream within 10 seconds or stir immediately and flip onto his stomach. We have co-slept up to this point because of this but am trying to get him used to his cot. My compromise has been putting him down on his side, I have tried to wait a while and roll him onto his back but this rarely works. Health visitors have given me the great advice of 'you have to get baby used to back sleeping as anything else is dangerous' easier said than done and it is stressing me out and daren't leave him.....or sleep!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

He is round about the age that you can let them find their own sleeping position without worrying about turning them back over. I would put him on his back to start with and then if he turns over just leave him.

Hi, yeah I've tried thst but 9/10 times he wakes up screaming and needs another 30-60 mins to resettle, hence the stress!

I have had two DC sleep on their side and various HCPs have said it is fine.

TBH by 5.5 months I'd be pretty relaxed about front sleeping.

Have the health visitors said that to you recently?
I thought once they could roll it was fine to let them front sleep.
There has to come a point when it's ok.

I think because of health visitors being so against it and my first baby being syillborn I'm just overly anxious. I spend ages watching him and trying to turn him over and can't relax. Maybe the more I do it the better I'll feel.

Cross post, yeah the hv said to do it for first year.

With my second dd I put her straight to sleep on her front after all the battles I had with my first!

As soon as they can roll and move their heads I think you have got over high risk area.

Here's some advice re rolling
http://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/file/-internal-documents/Fact-Sheet-Back-to-Sleep.pdf
I'm so sorry to hear about your stillbirth. I had problems in pregnancy that made me very anxious with my first. I do understand how hard it can be to.

As soon as they are able to roll from front to back/back to front they are fine to put down to sleep on their tummies, it's pointless trying to stop them as they will only keep rolling back if they are comfy.

For the whole first year is completely unrealistic. Once babies can hold their own heads up and do the mini push ups/rolling over they are meant to be fairly safe to decide how they want to sleep. You need rest as well and can't spend your nights watching how DC is lying.

My twins turned onto their sides (to face one another) immediately after birth and neither of the midwifes or the 2 paediatricians had any problem with it so I'd assume that there isn't really a problem.

Also, if he's doing it himself, he would have the strength to move back if necessary, so I wouldn't worry too much.

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/back-to-sleep - says once they can roll from front to back and back again then you can let them find their own sleep position

I think the risk of SIDS is lowered a lot by about 5 months so you can let them find a comfy position.

DD is 6mo now and I put her down on her side. She's much more settled that way and rolls herself into it eventually anyway.

You need rest as well and can't spend your nights watching how DC is lying.

Yes exactly. SIDS is one type of risk but there are also risks for a baby in having a knackered parent. (For example I nearly dropped DD down the stairs once because I was so exhausted I tripped). You need your sleep.

Like Goodbye's DS1 had a jackknife move that put him on his side from birth - there was absolutely no point trying to get him to sleep on his back because he just flipped straight to his side.

Once they can roll both ways, it's fine anyway - and to be honest, it's going to be better for him to be comfortable and well slept than fidgeting and tired.

If he can roll both ways then don't worry about it. Both my boys slept on their tummies once they could roll. I'd lay them in on their backs and they'd flip over immediately.

My girl is 21 weeks and her comfy position is on her side now. You can see she doesn't get comfy on her back. We just regularly check on her if we're staying up when she goes to bed.