5 Mo. Old So Frustrated Flipping Over, Help!

You can work with him on flipping from front to back. Practice makes perfect! Once he gets it, he will be able to do it himself.

what if you didn't run in and flip him back over, but just rub his back and comfort him and see if he will go to sleep on his tummy? just a thought. good luck and i hope he adjusts quickly to being a little more mobile! :)

I don't know if your baby likes to be swaddled anymore...sometimes once they get older they get mad if they are swaddled, but I wonder if this might help? Also, have you tried a sleep positioner? Its supposed to help keep them on their back. I use one, and it works to a certain age, and then no matter what, they will get out of it somehow and flip over. Maybe when he flips instead of rushing to flip him back, you can let him cry for just a little and see if he stops (since you know he's not being hurt), or just pat him on the back and see if he will quiet down.

Roll some blankets up length ways and place either side of him so he can't roll over.

Its a developmental phase and new acquisition of motor-skills. It is a phase and will pass... once he gains more motor coordination to then flip himself both directions... At-will.
Keep in mind that it is not easy for baby either and the lack of sleep it causes them.

But, the silver lining is: that your baby is developing well and appropriately.
Once he gets better control over his coordination, it will get better. Just keep to whatever sleep/nap times/routines you have. So that once he does "master" these new skills, he will still be having the same nap/sleep times. Not it being messed up. Which is worse.

Then, once he attains other new motor-skills, like fully rolling over and sitting up at-will, and then pulling-up and standing... this sleep tweak will happen again. It is all about the baby growing into, their new motor-skills and attaining some command over their coordination. And yes, it is instinct that they do it, on impulse... it is how they "practice" the new movements. If they did not do this.... then, you would have a bump on a log.. .and a baby that is NOT hitting appropriate milestones... which is worse.
For example: I used to babysit a baby... that did not do any of those "normal" developmental things at the appropriate ages. She was real delayed among other things. And, her parents were always dismayed about it. It was sad.

You could also do mat time with him... not for long periods, because he is real young. But in the course of just hanging out on a floor mat, he will be doing this too... and he'll get more used to it. Take videos of him! Perfect moment for that to show off his new motor-skills. :)

all the best,
Susan

He can definitely sleep on his tummy. I would leave him for more than 5 minutes and see if he turns himself over by himself or just falls asleep on his tummy. Don't go in right away and see if he can do it himself. Also doing more tummy time to get him to love it will help a lot! Good luck!

i tried the rolled blankets with my kids and they didnt work and at one point was told it would slow down their process of trying to roll back over altho dont know how truthful that is but what i did was spent more tummy time on mats and stuff like put toys just out of reach in front of my kids and simple stuff like that i agree rubbin the back may help to just a thought tho you could always try tummy time while yours is awake so poor thing done see it as a bad thing to be on the tummy

If he doesn't like being on his tummy during nap/sleep time then I would use a baby sleeping wedge to prevent it. You can get one at Walmart in the baby isle for under $10.00. It has two small wedges connected by a piece of material. You lay him between the wedges and the problem is solved. Why force him to experience something he is not ready for.

Now you can get him more accustomed to his new mile stone by having tummy time with him during the day when he is more comfortable.