Can My Infant Sleep on Her Tummy?

Reference page three of the the requests and responses, Tanya O just asked this same question on 3/27. She had 74 responses, so you might save some time and read hers =)

and congrats on the new one, mine was born 12/21!

Looks like you have already gotten lots of advice on this. I too have put both of my daughters on their tummies, as they slept better that way. I did it with the understanding that the risk is 1/1000 for babies on their backs vs. 2/1000 for babies on their tummies. Because I believe that my kids were very low risk for SIDs, I could live with this slight increase in risk.

BUT, the one piece of advice that I got from my pediatrician is to pick ONE way and stick with it. He told me that the risk is even higher for babies that are switched between tummy and back than for full-time tummy.

So, I'd suggest that you make the choice that you can live with and be consistent about it.

There is a LOT of advice that was given out just a few days ago. See if you can find it. I also gave some advice.

I honestly dont think it is that big of a deal. My two kids were both tummy sleepers. They wouldnt nap anywhere but with me but at night they either wanted to be on their tummies or propped up on their sides. My pedi freaked out when i told him i was letting gieger sleep on his tummy and told me to get a bassinet at this point he was 6months old and so i went out and bought one...thank god i am prego with number three because we never used the bassinet and it has become my clothes hamper of sorts! So i know they tell you DONT DO IT but my take on sids is that one they dont know enough about it to say whether or not tummy sleeping is bad and in a few months or years they will be telling moms not to put babies on the backs beause of the risk. go with what you baby is ok with. if you need add comfort they have these mats that you put n the crib that sense if baby stops breathing. If the baby does stop an alram goes off on your baby monitor. It works a girlfriend of mine got one as a shower gift. She put it in the crib and her son took a pause in breathing and the thing went off like a police siren. They run like 99 bucks but for piece of mind it may be well worth it. I am planning on letting baby choose what he wants to do when he is born. But that is how i parent. Good luck!! And congrats...oh and how iis it having three now that everyone is home and settled? I am getting nervous.

Before anyone ever heard of SIDS, we were told to put our babies on their tummies to sleep, so that's what I did. My first baby was 1-1/2 years old and suffered no ill effects from sleeping on her tummy. Then, on Christmas Eve, my 2-1/2 month old baby girl, also a tummy-sleeper, died. Was it because she slept on her tummy? Nobody can say for sure, although she had not been sick. I would not want to take the chance that it "might" be safe to let a baby sleep on its tummy. The stakes are much too high.

I am a retired police officer who has dealt with SIDS when the experts said sleep on their tummy and then when they said sleep on their back. From my experience the issue really is about whether or not the baby's breathing gets blocked by bedding, pillows, stuffed animals, etc. The "experts" have also thought that genetics and general health plays a part. "They" don't really know what causes SIDS. I've seen SIDS babies who were sleeping on their back. Preventing SIDS is just not a simple task.

Back, to tummy or back. When the baby is first born he has little or no strength in his neck. It's up to us to see that his airway is kept clear. The easiest way to do that seems to put them to sleep on their back. But then you have the issue of their breath being cut off by vomit. So we need to be aware of health issues too. Is he prone to spitting up? Then tummy might be best.

If I were to have a baby now I'd probably try to get him to sleep on his side. There are blocks to help the baby stay on their side. Then when the baby was able to hold up ihis head on his own
I would let him make the choice.

I would also keep comforters, pillows, and large stuffed animals out of the crib. I've read that fluffy bumper pads can cut off breath if the baby pushes themselves firmly into them. My mother tied the blankets to the crib bars so that when my brothers moved around during the night they would rise and fall while still staying in place. It also kept them taut so that my brothers couldn't bunch them up and bury their face in the blankets. She did it to keep them warm in the days of inadequate central heat. But I think it could be helpful in keeping the blankets out of the baby's face.

Once the baby is holding up their head and scooting around in the bed we don't have to be so careful because the baby has the ability to push themselves away from obstructions.

In my experience SIDS isn't as common as it would seem when listening to the warnings. I believe that a baby who dies from SIDS has a predisposition to breathing problems.

How you manage your baby's sleep is your decision while you keep in mind the reasons that some things are done or not done. The emphasis now seems to be on maintaining open airways. "Back in the day," the medical examiner told us that it could be caused by a virus or some other system inadequacy. They still don't really know what causes SIDS.

Having known three babies who died of SIDS (including one who stopped breathing while sleeping during the day), I did not mess with this one. Sleeping on bellies is a known risk, and my very close family friend who lost her daughter has spoken of how she wished she knew to put her down on her back. This is one of the very few parenting areas that I don't think is about what "works for my family."

For hundreds, even thousands, of years, we all thought it was best to put baby on her tummy to sleep. The species has survived remarkably well. It wasn't until my grandchildren were born that I learned I had done everything all wrong with my own children. Let her sleep on her tummy. If she sleeps better, I think both of you will be happier. Fear not.

Sleep her on her side using something to support her back. Tummy just isn't safe at this age. =]

Good Morning E.,
Well, my eldest always slept on his side. I didn't feel comfy with the back to sleep because if he were to spit up, then he would have choked on it, so I put him in a positioner and put him on either side. I would change positions for him every time I was up changing his diaper or feeding him, then I would lay him on the other side.
With my youngest, the ONLY way he gets a good night's rest is on his side. BUT for the first, I wanna say, 2.5 months, I had him in a bassinet next to us, so I can check on him. He has great head control, so I never had any problems with it. Now he sleeps in his own crib on his tummy. We have a monitor there, and we are use to it, and with his head control being at a 6 month old level, according to the doc, we are ok with it. He is only going on 4 months just to let you know.
I, personally, feel that babies will let you know what they like best. The doc is only a suggestion and sometimes the docs are wrong. I have found that in my personal experience.

well i think that you just need to keep an eye on her. The reason they say that is to reduce sids, but we don't know all the causes for sids. And to top it off i bet your mother had you on your tummy and you seem to be alright. I thiknk that it is up to you what you feel comfortable doing.

Babies love their tummies for good reasons (cozy like the womb, gets rid of gas, stay warmer, stronger necks for rolling over, etc). The risk of SIDS is increased more by vaccinations than by tummy sleeping. But the doctors can't and won't tell you that. Do your own research and make the best decision for your family. Be informed and don't do it just because 'they' say so.

As long as you feel comfortable with her on her tummy, go for it. I have found that babies have their own way of doing things and that can be disrupted by always following "the rules". My kids naturally figured out what worked for them and I just made sure that they were safe. They are both alive and well, so I guess I did something right! Just keep doing what works for you and your children. H., mom to Ethan(4) and Emma(3).

No, no. no. It is very tempting, and I agree, appears to be so much easier. I am a foster parent and have had 18 kids this year, with lot's of babies. You need to be swaddling your little darling. That is what she needs. Look up "the happiest baby on the block" for the best way to swaddle. Since going to sleeping on the back the SIDS rate for newborns has gone down exponentially. Adding a pacifier will make this easier for both of you. It's OK to offer the pacifier only at bed time. I am sure that you will get some response that say "I let my baby sleep on their back and they did just fine", but you don't want to be the one whose baby didn't... Good luck, M.

Although the doctors say you shouldn't let your baby sleep on his/her tummy, both of my kids, now in their 20's would ONLY sleep on their stomatch's and they are fine. I never had a lot of stuff in thier beds, including pillows & blankets, and they did great. If they sleep better that way, so be it! I watch a little guy now who started turning over at just a few months, of course the doctor didn't like it but there's nothing you can do at that point.

All of mine slept on their tummies (one for a while on side, since when he was born the medical community suggestions had changed from stomach to side, but NEVER back. By the time third child was born, on back was suddenly acceptable.)

I made sure that there were no cloth bumpers on the crib (since they 'scooted' to the bars anyway) and no stuffed animals and taught bed sheets beneath them; all this to minimize the 'suffocation' factor that was then associated with SIDS.

my dughter is now 21 months. when she was little we tried for sleepless wekks to keep her on her back. she would only sleep 2 hours at a time max. and in the hospital she was already rolling over and would end up on her side and once even her tummy. the nurses kept arguing with me saying it was physically impossible for her to do that and to keep her on her back. so we did everything to keep her on her back and she would not sleep. One day, when she was about 4 weeks old, my mother in law was watching her. when we came to pick her up she was asleep on the couch. on her tummy! my MIL said she had been asleep for 4 hours! so we tried it that night and she slept a long time! i talked to my doctor about it. he said it would be fine because her neck was really strong. and what they worry about is babys getting their faces stuck in spit up. So as long as you think she is strong enough to lift her head and cry if she spits up then you shouldnt have to worry.

Well...all 4 of mine slept on their backs from birth. All 4 of mine could lift their heads from birth. So if your little one can lift her head, I say go for it. My babies would not sleep on their back.

S. A.

The thought process behing 'back' sleeping used to be the exact opposite. It was sleep on the tummy. I have found that what ever the individual prefers is just fine. I am sure the risks of SID's may go up with baby on tummy, but if she sleeps the best that way why not...I have had two children I take care of full time be tummy sleepers from birth. It was the only way they would sleep. I would do what feels right for your family, just ensure that there are no suffication risks in the sleep area. No toys or stuffies nor a blanket unless its tight around the infant. Good luck and stay confident, you know what your child likes, dislikes go with it.

Please don't buy into the whole sleeping on back is necessary sham. Next decade they will change back to it anyway. On the belly is better for development anyway; how else do they learn to crawl? raise your hand if you have ever seen a baby become mobile on its back constantly. I have 3 kids that slept on the belly and they crawled at 5, 5.5 & 6 months.

The whole choking on spit-up is also bunk. Last decade they said belly. This decade they say back. It seems that every 10 years or so they change their mind. The preference of your baby far outweighs the flip-flop MD community. Vaccines are a much bigger risk factor for SIDS, just ask Japan. They do the opposite of the US, they don't start vaccinating until the children are 2 years old. When that happened the SIDS rate went through the floor.

But back to the sleeping. I always put my kids on their bellies because if they spit up, they can aspirate if on their backs. I once had a cop come to my high school to talk about the dangers of drinking and he said that if you have a friend that has passed out from alcohol poisoning, you need to put them on their stomachs. He mentioned that if they throw up in their sleep they won't choke to death. I figure that an immobile baby has even less control that a drunk college student. I also think that a baby that spits up is more common than a SIDS baby. I would choose the position that actually gets sleep without the choking to death before I freaked out about SIDS and a MD who changes his mind every presidential election or so.
-S.

I think it is best to listen to all the professionals on this one and keep yopur back on her back, since the AAP started using the back to sleep campaign sids has beed serously reduced ( there are other fators to it to though). you could try her side to. have you thought of co-sleeping. when done safely everyone can be happy. your baby isnt even a month old yet so should be waking every 2 hours to eat anyways! have you tried swaddleing her tightly? remember she was in your womb very tightly and could be missing the close feeling she got from that. on her belly might give her a similar feeling.

as a mom of 5 kids i can tell you its a journey. a few good ideas other than co-sleeping (nap when she naps so you are not to tired) are baby wearing, you can still get alot done around the house while wearing her in a sling or wrap or other carrier (not a snuggli or bjorn as they are not good for spinal development at ththis stage and are not reccomened before 4-6 months).
ultimatly you have to do what works best for you and your family, but while taking the risks seriously.

It has changed over the years. When my kids were born, they were told to sleep on their tummies because if they happened to spit up while on their backs, they could asperate on it and choke to death, so I have been nervous about back sleeping. Like the other lady said, keep fluffy things away from the face and try the side sleeping too.

I let my 5 month old sleep how ever she is comfy!

My son slept on his tummy when he was that young too. He did fine. The reason they say not to is because of SIDS. But there are studies that show if your baby uses a pacifier when they sleep the risk of SIDS does way down.

Good luck!

Hi. I did the same thing. My son slept on his back at night and on his tummy during the day when I was awake. SIDS is such a scary thing, I know. It worked fine for me and I'd do it the same way with my next child. They start to roll over and sleep on their tummy by 4-7 months on their own. I didn't however, ever sleep him on his stomach during the night before he could roll over that way on his own. It's interesting to me that we aren't suppose to put our children on their tummy but a doctor can still "prescribe" this advice when necessary. I am a low risk person in regards to SIDS, no smoking, child wasn't a low birth rate, he took a pacifier. But it was always in the back of my mind, what if something happened. Would I be able to live with myself? Good luck with your decision.

The reason doctors say not to let babies that young not to sleep on Tummies is because of SIDS. SIDS is caused by carbon the child breathes out as well as they can not move thier heads from side to side so they can get got with their nose down on the bed. I bought a side sleeper wedge for my boys when they where infants and they loved that. The best thing to do is make sure you are watching the baby full time if you let her sleep on her tummy just in case. I have had a second cousin die from the sleeping on tummy SIDS it was sad and it sure made me think twice when I finally had kids.

Congratulations are your new addition to your family.

A.

My doctor said the only tummy time should be supervised by one of the parents...

Hi E., I have 2 grown daughters, and 'back in the day' they didn't say that, as a matter of fact they said the exact opposite! So here is what I think...it is fine as long as you are attentive, and there are no obstructions such as pillows or stuffed animals in her bed. Keep in mind that by 3 months they can roll over anyway! They really don't have proof of anything, they used to say that if you laid them on their backs, they could choke, begs the question, who are THEY anyway!LOL Using your own best judgement is always the best advice, as long as your not a whacko or something hahaha!!! Enjoy your babies, they grow way too fast! R.

You are right - they say you should never do this. BUT I did with all 3 of my children. I made sure the bedding is really flat with no pillow or blankets around there face and they did sleep much better. My 20 month old still sleeps on her tummy. And just really monitor your baby too - which sounds like you do.

I know they say to put them to bed on their back but my children(I have 4) all slept on their tummy just fine. Every few years the scientists change there mind on whats "heathy" for you (eggs~no eggs,milk~no milk...)you get the picture,use your judgement,you know best.

my first 3 kids slept on their tummy, until our boy died of SIDS,(they came out with back to sleep about 6 months after he died) I then flipped his twin sister over but within the month she could roll over by herself and was always on her tummy, our 4th child never slept on his tummy and actually the doctor told me I HAD to let him sleep on his side or tummy because the back of his head was getting flat, 5th baby slept on his side wound up w/ torticolis (head stays to one side) he is fine now) but at about a year he started sleeping on his tummy... if it were me? I would side sleep/back sleep until they can roll around by themselves and sleep in their own comfortable position.
it is such a small thing with such a horrible risk..
take good care,
H.

Babies slept on their tummies for how many centuries - I did and I'm still here to talk about it. I think that if your baby has a strong preference to tummy sleeping, go ahead and let her sleep on her tummy. Don't make her uncomfortable just because scientists/doctors say that there is a .1% chance of her being a victim of SIDS.

I know SIDS is a big deal, but my son would only sleep on his tummy from day one, and then it was only for very short (1/2 hour to 1 hour) stretches. I figured if he was sleeping so was I. He is now a healthy, happy sleeping toddler!

I have two children both of whom sleep on their stomachs. I know they say they should sleep on their backs but my three year old has slept on her tummy from day one, as well as my four month old.

My daughter went through a phase when she was a month or two old where she only wanted to sleep on her tummy. We ended up letting her fall asleep in her bouncy seat a lot which helped some, since she was sort of upright instead of flat on her back. However, we kept keeping her on her back at night and within a week or two she was completely fine with sleeping on her back instead of tummy.

Just wanted to let you know my experience with tummy sleeping. My oldest is 11 1/2 now, youngest is 7 and when my oldest was an infant the recommendation was side-sleeping. So after using the wedge, and really making an honest effort, I decided to try tummy and he slept sooo much better. I started doing this when he was still in a bassinette, close to my bed and I woke frequently to check on him. Consequently, I allowed my second baby to tummy sleep fairly early on also. I think it's important to note I had full term babies, normal birthweight, and we are non-smoking, and I had no complications during pregnancy. Studies have shown that although it is not a predictor of SIDS, some of the above conditions are more common among SIDS cases. You have to do what makes you comfortable, but I had great improvement is the length of time and quality of my kids' sleep on their tummies:)