Daughter Keeps Rolling over While Sleeping and Waking Up

Updated on April 22, 2008
A.S. asks from Fuquay Varina, NC
24 answers

My daughter is 7.5 months and has been sleeping great until she learned to roll on her belly. She can roll both ways but in her crib she will not roll back onto her back. She wakes up and screams because she wants to be on her back again. I was hoping that another mom out there has some ideas of what I can do to help her. It is getting hard to wake up and walk upstairs 3 times a night just to roll her over!

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So What Happened?

I want to thank everyone for all of your great suggestions and support. I was glad to see that I was not the only one with this issue. I have practiced rolling over with Avery today and will continue to do so. I will also not be so quick to run to her and help her out so she can try and learn to do it herself. Thanks again, you all are great!

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S.C.

answers from Wilmington on

Have you tried those pads with the raised wings on the side to keep her on her back? You lay them in the crib and they have raised pads so to speak on the sides to keep baby from rolling over. They're only about $15 bucks, so if it doesn't work, you won't have spent a bundle.

S.

2 moms found this helpful
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N.G.

answers from Fayetteville on

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the toughest to see. Back in the day when my kids were small, there was a triangular foam wedge I had with a smaller one that connected to it a few inches away with velcro. It was fantastic! You can probably get the same results by rolling up two receiving blankets and propping them on either side of little Avery. Hope this helps!

1 mom found this helpful

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K.W.

answers from Raleigh on

I know she may be a little older for this but have to tried the baby pillow that doesn't allow her to move. I can't think of the name of if but it's a pad that has two rolls on both sides. It would be like rolling a towel up (tube) then speading it the width of the baby and re-rolling it back up. I am sorry that I can't remember the name of it. It's mainly used for newborns to keep them from rolling during there sleep.

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B.W.

answers from Nashville on

there are mats that are designed for this. they have round things on both ends and you lay the baby in the middle. (so there would be one on the left, on on the right) the mat adjusts with velcro so that the rounded ends fit snuggly to the baby on both sides.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Asheville on

My son did the same thing and basically I had to keep getting up to roll him back. I guess that wasn't too bad because at the time he was in a co-sleeper. But anyway, when he really got the hang of rolling he eventually got himself back to sleep. It might be just a matter of time and she will sleep again.
Good luck :)

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S.E.

answers from Louisville on

yep, that is about normal. The cool thing is you have about 2 weeks to go and she will learn to roll both ways. My son is 8 months and has done the same thing. JUst practice and teach her during the day to roll over both ways. Also teach her how to rock on all 4's. she will be crawling soon if not already. Kids are so much fun to teach new things too. My son is pretty much crawling around now. and will sit up on his own from the floor. YOUR DAUGHTER IS NORMAL. she will roll the other way soon.
S. E

1 mom found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from Charlotte on

Have you ever tried one of those , I guess they're called "crib pads"? Your little one lays in the middle but will not be able to roll over because it has triangular foam pads on each side. It's soft, and since it lays under her shoulders, she wouldn't be able to get stuck against one of the sides. Just an idea!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Greensboro on

Dawns advice was a good one. If you still have problems with it there are special pillow like things specifically for this, I dont remember the name of it but you should be able to find it at Walmart or Target. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from Asheville on

she'll figure out how to get back one of these days - until then, you're just going to have to get up and help her, i'm afraid... It really won't last that long - nothing does... I wouldn't move her into your room like someone suggested, though, as you'll just create a problem of having to move her back which will be much more tiresome than getting up to roll her over right now. Don't worry - it'll happen soon!

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J.S.

answers from Memphis on

I know! I went through this when my baby was 4 months old. It lasted about a month until she got used to sleeping on her belly. Hang in there.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.C.

answers from Lexington on

My daughter is 7 months old and she went through a phase where she did this, not in the middle of the night though. It was usually when she was trying to get to sleep. I often let her fuss until she fell asleep on her belly. Sometimes I would roll her over if she was really worked up and needed to be comforted. I advise you not to respond to her immediately. If you do, it may become a pattern (she gets used to seeing you in the middle of the night). At this age, she really can learn how to get back to sleep on her own, it's just hard on you as a parent (lack of sleep is rough).

Hope this helps. I'll pray for you.

After reading the other responses... that's great advice to help her practice rolling over during the day.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Greenville on

A.,
If you have a bumper guard on her crib slide her over to it and place a small firm pillow that does not have a pillow case under the opposite arm real snug like. She will think its a teddy bear and it will hold her in place. The pillow must be her size at least to keep her from rolling over.
Good luck !
A. - Mom of 2 teens

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J.D.

answers from Charlotte on

my son did the SAME thing. We just had to go in there and roll him over. Eventually they figure out that they can do it on their own. We went in there every time when he first started doing it and then gradually went in less and less. He figured it out. It is horrible when they're great sleepers and all of a sudden you're getting up in the middle of the night again. This too sahll pass :)

1 mom found this helpful
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J.H.

answers from Rocky Mount on

Dear A.,

Would it be possible for you and your husband to move her crib into your room? I am the grandmother of 9 month old
twin boys, and I highly recommend "The Baby Book: Everything
You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition) by James Sears, Martha Sears,
Robert Sears and William Sears.

This book is just the best, and answers so many questions.

I hope this helps.

Sincerely yours,
J. h.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.L.

answers from Memphis on

there is something i bought at babies r us, you may be able to find it elsewhere. i don't know the exact name of it but it's with the newborn stuff and it is a cushion that goes into the baby's bed. it has high sides so the baby can not turn over. it worked for us.

hope this was helpful.

God Bless and Protect you,

L.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.T.

answers from Nashville on

My little girl did that about that age too. I eventually got so wore out that I don't remember if I was just too tired to go and roll her over or I slept through it one. But the point is, she had to lay there long enough to learn to do what the pediatrician calls 'self-sooth'. She eventually realized that she had to try it herself and when I didn't come roll her over, she did it herself and and I never had another moments trouble out of her. In fact, now, she wakes up in the middle of the night all the time, turns on her music and plays with her stuffed animals and then goes back to sleep.

1 mom found this helpful
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W.W.

answers from Charlotte on

my daughter was just like that only wanted to be on her tummy. that was 35 years ago but what i did was tied a blanket to each side on the crib just tight enough that she had to work to get turned over. she would usally not turn over then because she did not wake up enough to fight the blanket. it worked for me and she woke up every 10 minutes. hope it helps

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

try thoes sleep positioners or just let her try for a bit and see if she doesnt go back to sleep on her own

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Charlotte on

my son,5 1/2 months, is doing the same thing, opposite though. Sleeps on his tummy and rolling on his back. He won't sleep on his back unless he's really sleepy. I got up at 4:45 am and rolled him back over : (

1 mom found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from Memphis on

Could you use a wedge to help her stay on her back when she sleeps?

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Raleigh on

I used to take two thin baby blankets and fold them into 8-12" strips and then roll them up... then tuck one of these on either side of the baby. You may want to lay another blanket over two rolls first to help keep them in position. This really helped keep my girls (I have 3) on their backs while sleeping. By the time she's strong enough to overcome the rolls, she will hopefully also be able to roll front to back on her own.

Getting enough sleep is half the battle of motherhood. Best of luck... hope this helps you have more restful nights.

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H.E.

answers from Knoxville on

You might try one of those sleep positioners. It might help keep her sleeping exactly how she'd like ... and hopefully will help her stay asleep, too! Good luck!

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C.F.

answers from Wilmington on

I think that you should purchase one of the cushion-like devices for cribs that ensure that your child doesn't roll over. She's too young to be sleeping on her back, anyway, if I'm not mistaken. Even if she wasn't, with the way she's acting, I think I'd buy one. They're not expensive, and you can buy one just about anywhere, like Toysrus or Walmart, etc... We used one for our son til he was too big for it, and it was a huge blessing, not having to worry about his rolling over in his sleep!

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