sleeping on front at almost 5 months/napping nightmare.

[Pavlov]

DS is 20 weeks old. He refuses to nap anywhere apart from on me. Or on his front. Ever since he was born, he has insisted on being on me, face down, or on my boob. I managed, a couple of months ago to get him to sleep on his back for naps, of sorts, but would not nap for longer than 30-45mins? Anyway, never allowed him to sleep on his front, other than when on me, so it meant he spent a lot of time sleeping on me night, and day for a long while.

I finally managed to get him to sleep to some extent in his basket at night, a few night wakings, I am working on that.

However, his nap times have just become impossible. He will only sleep on my boob, and if I pat his back and listen to his frustration/distress for long enough while he is on me he might collapse on me to sleep. he will sleep here for 1-2 hours, but as soon as I transfer him to his back on the bed even gently, he wakes up pretty much straight away, really upset and refuses to sleep unless suckling. if he does stay asleep, it is never longer than 30 mins.

I have a 3yo and as much as I would love to spend all day having him suckle me, i just cannot do it!!

Anyway, i finally got him to sleep on me for his only nap so far today (other than power naps on the boob) and he woke straight away as soon as I tried to move him, and ended rolling onto his front. Before I could move him, he was out like a light, head facing outwards, arms up by his head, looking the most content that I have seen him for a long time.

I should move him shouldn't i? I shouldn't let him sleep on his front yet should ? I am exhausted, but I am thinking just going to have to go with it? Or is it ok to sleep on his front now? (everything i read says not to let him until he can roll both ways, which he can't really do well yet).

If I was you I would let him sleep on his front. At 5 months I would not worry and it looks like this is really the way he feels comfortable. My third baby was like this with sleeping and it felt like I lost a year of my life. I would have let him sleep hanging upside down from the ceiling like a bat if it meant I got a break!

He is definitely more comfortable on his front, he has fallen asleep numerous times while having tummy time on his mat.

For me there would be no question then...let him kip happily on his front.

it is advised that you should roll them back onto their back if you find them on their front up to the age of 6 months. 5 months is not that far off 6 months so I would probably be tempted to leave him in the position he sleeps best in. I'm sure ds used to roll over around this age and I never moved him for fear of waking him.

my dd2 is 7 months and has beeen sleeping on her front since she was a few weeks old. That was the only way she would settle and that allowed me to get some sleep. I personally wouldn't worry and let him sleep on his front.

Thank you...DH came in after about 10 mins, he freaked that he was on his front, the fact he was so calmly asleep even bothered him. So i turned him gently and he stayed in what appeared to be a deep sleep...30mins marvelous.

Problem is, he has had a few potential respiratory issues so i guess really we should keep him on his back. He is full of mucous and coughs and Doc suspects asthma although not able to dx at this age. He has an inhaler, give 10 days ago. This I think is why he prefers to sleep on his front, as he is less clogged. When he was asleep on his front earlier there was no wheezing, or vague rasping/snoring, it sounded lovely and peaceful, but then, needed to check he was breathing where we can normally see/hear his breathing from more of a distance.

I guess DHs reaction was the right one for now. I just wish i could let him sleep as he pleased.

I feel your pain. My ds started sleeping on his front from 4 months and I made myself totally exhausted for about a month lying awake to keep turning him on his back. He would immediately turn back on his front. At one point I remember lying on the bed all night with my hand on him to stop him rolling over. In the end I bought a cot monitor and let him sleep on his front as I was slowly going mad with lack of sleep due to worry and frequent bf as well as rolling him over. It wasn't ideal but I figured I was fighting a losing battle and the monitor gave me some peace of mind. He still sleeps on his front at 20 months..

I have put him down to sleep. He was almost asleep, put him down on back, he cried instant;y. I let him grimble for a few minutes, putting hands on chest to calm him, no good. I lifted him to my chest, instantly asleep, heavy weight asleep, on his front/side. Flaked out as if he has been asleep like this for hours.

Problem is the bed monitors are really costly, and DH lost his job while i was pg, so, given the now reduced salary, £100 or so that they cost is like a fifth of my monthly income .

Apparantly if the docs recommend front sleeping, for specific babies, then you can be loaned the monitors from the hospital. I might talk to gp at DSs appt this week.

DD has been sleeping on her front since 5 weeks - made a huge difference to her sleep. We bought a sleep monitor for peace of mind - about £30 from Gumtree so don't think you have to buy new!