What to do....Nervous Mother...son Rolling over to Sleep on Belly

Hi K.,
I had this same issue with my son. My pediatrician told me if he is strong enough to roll over to his stomach he should be able to roll back over to his back if he needs to. I don't know if this actually helps but I understand where you are coming from. I, too, was very nervous about this when my son was doing it.
-M.

my son now 2yrs has always liked to sleep on his tummy. As long as they can roll over I wouldn't worry about it. If he can roll over on hisa tummy then he prob can roll back over on his back.

Let him go, he's fine. If he wasn't developmentally ready, then he wouldn't flip to his belly. But, you should still put him to sleep on his back, don't intentionally put him on his belly. The fact that he can flip is a good sign that he can help himself to not get into tough positions. I went through this worry too, but he is ok. You shouldn't have anything in his crib and you also should not use a blanket. My son is 9months old and I have only ever used the sleep sacks, you should get them if you don't already have them. Blankets can be a suffocation hazard as babies can pull them above their heads. The only thing I have in my crib is the mattress and crib sheet: no bumbers, toys, animals or blankets.
I hope this was helpful, good luck!

Hi K.. I am a grandmother of two and a Mother of two. Back in The Day when my children were babies we were taught to put them on their Stomachs and we didn't suffer. When a child is on it's stomach it won't spit up and drown on its vomit. Believe it or not, putting a baby on its stomach worked for years. Now, I am not going to go against all the "experts" but if your baby wants to turn on his stomach and does it by himself, my advice would be to let him do it. His body seems to know better.
Good Luck, V. S

My son started sleeping on his belly right around 5 months too. Everyone I talked to said if they can get there, then they are fine and there is nothing you can do to stop them. And remember, when we were little, our parents were TOLD to put us on our bellies!!! He wil be fine and probably sleep better becasue he is more comfortable!

My son was the same way as soon as he could roll over he would sleep on his stomach. He is now 8 months old and still sleeps on his stomach. It's won't hurt your baby but if you are really concerned go get some of the roll preventers that they have at the store. They have them at walmart. My son learned to get out of them by wiggling around. It won't hurt him but if you are more comfortable with the preventers then get them. Remember though they only sleep when they are comfortable.

If he's able to roll on his belly, then he's able to sleep on his belly. Don't let all the hype scare you. I think that's more of a newborn issue (0-3 months). Both of my kids started sleeping on thier bellies as soon as they could roll. And they still love to sleep on their bellies. It's fine.

Hopefully I won't get blasted for this. My son always slept on his stomach (he's nine now). He would NOT sleep on his back for more than 15 minutes at a time. If I hadn't of put him on his stomach, I don't know what I might have done....I was going crazy from sleep deprivation. My youngest daughter (11 mos.) has been sleeping on her stomach since she could turn her head in her sleep. My thinking is if they can turn their head, they can turn if something is bothering them. I know this goes against everything the doctors tell us, but sometimes you have to do what works. If your son is turning over on his own, I think he should be fine.

All four of my kids sleep on their stomach. My oldest is 17, my youngest is 6 mos. I think if they are able to roll around, the risk is greatly reduced. You can't sit up all night watchin him sleep, so just pray on it and I'm sure he will be fine.

Why do Doctors out the fear of the fear of god into parents about babies sleeping on their bellies. If a baby is strong enough to roll over then they can roll out of a suffocating position. It is extremely important developmentally that a baby has sufficient time on their bellies for developmental purposes. It is important for a baby to develop the curve in their mid back for nervous system stimulation and a as a precursor to crawling. Belly sleeping is not this scary thing that it is made out to be. The first 2 months only sleep a baby on their stomachs while you are watching them or with them. Otherwise, a baby is able to maneuver themselves out of a suffocating position, especially a 5 month old who should be working towards crawling. If there are alot of blankets in the crib get them out of there. You only need one. Let him go.

How wonderful he's learned how to roll over! that's so exciting for him. He is healthy and strong; you are blessed. He is also teaching himself how to sleep comfortably. I would not bother him at all he absolutely will not suffocate. That occurs more frequently in children who cannot hold their heads up or control their gross motor movements. RELAX and let him sleep. My second used to pull her fat little legs up underneath her while sleeping on her tummy... she is a lovely 17 year old now!!!

Both my kids started rolling over early on. With my daughter I was really nervous and would wake up several times throughout the night to make sure she was still breathing - didn't set an alarm clock, my body just woke up. With my son it was slightly easier, I didn't wake up all the time but then felt bad in the mornings for not checking up on him during the night. I was told that when you roll over you tend to automatically turn your head to either side to be able to breathe. Keep the crib clear of unnecessary items. I would also spend some time in the room with him when he took a nap - definetly helped because I could keep an eye on him and not loose any sleep at night.

My doctor told me that as long as my dd could roll over by herself then it is ok. My dd had reflux so my fear was a reflux episode and her chocking. Just make sure he can roll back over. If youare still worried cal your doctor.

Hi K.,

Once your son is old enough to roll over onto his belly, then it is OK for him to sleep however he likes. They only don't like babies that can't roll over sleeping on their bellies. Once he is old enough to decide for himself, then I would say let him sleep the way he wants to. My son is also a belly sleeper and started once he was able to roll over himself.

J.

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If he is rolling over he is ready. I would not wake him. However, you should follow the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines as to what should be in the crib. NO Baby Bumpers. I don't even know why company's are allowed to sell these things. They are death traps. No toys, stuffed animals...and no bulky blankets...you may feel more comfortable with no blankets and just put him into a sleeper sack. Good luck!

Hey K.,
I feel for you because I went through the same thing with my daughter. I was so paranoid about this that I went and bought the angel monitor. I felt that this was the only way I could get a good night sleep. If you are that worried about it maybe you should think about purchasing one. Ebay probly has them cheap. Check it out. You need your rest too!Good Luck
A. P.
www.greensthewaytobe.com

Hi K....my son did that too right around that age. I'd put him to bed on his back and during the night he'd roll to his belly. It's normal, besides we all switch sleeping positions when we sleep.

Hi K., my name's E.. I've got 3 at home, so I have a little bit of experience. You're not a nervous mother, especially about this. For my baby shower 8 years ago (yikes!) someone bought me these support things for the baby. It was a mat with 2 small bolsters that velcro'd onto the mat. You put the baby down, and put the bolsters right next to the baby along the sides. This really helped put my mind at ease, and it was easily machine washable. My pediatrician told me that once they can completely roll over, the incidence of suffocation dramatically decreases, especially if they roll over, but move their face to the side. Hope this puts you at ease.

Once babies can roll completely, it's safe for them to sleep on their bellies. In my experience, most babies are more comfortable on their sides or bellies anyway. My daughter has been sleeping on her belly since a week old. There are other risk factors for SIDS and since our family doesn't fall into any of those categories, I really am not worried.

K.,

There really isn't anything you can do. Yes, back sleeping is best, but all of the experts say that once your baby is rolling, there isn't a thing you can do about it unless you are willing to wake him up to turn him over. My personal policy is "Let Sleeping Baby's Lie".

If he is rolling back to front, is he also rolling front to back (which is easier)? I also assume he can hold his head up. Both of which will enable him to move himself if he has trouble breathing.

I worried when my daughter started to roll, too, but she is almost 10 months and sleeps on her tummy a lot. I figure this is normal baby development (as nature, God, whatever, intended), and it would be far worse if she didn't roll until after the "safety zone" for SIDS - 1 year - because that would mean something major was wrong with her.

Take a deep breath, say a prayer, and then celebrate your son's achieving this milestone!

C.

Absolutely nothing to worry about. This whole SIDS 'back to sleep' campaign has freaked everyone out. Our ped recommended that our twins sleep on their tummies due to reflux, with the head of their crib raised to a 40 degree angle. Dr. Sears, back in the laste 90's, used to advocate that babies sleep on their tummies (no pillows, etc) b/c they breath better, and don't flail and wake themselves up as much. He said that babies are biologically meant to sleep prone (tummy). Tummy sleeping, esp at 5 months old should not be of any worry. Let him roll if he wants to :) Besides, he will increase his neck strength... btw, studies have linked SIDS to a bacteria that is present in almost every SIDS case - and if you're breastfeeding, your baby has even a less chance of having SIDS. Not to mention, by 5 months he's practically out of the woods for SIDS. I believe the highest risk period is before 4 months of age.

GL, don't worry!

Unless you want to sit by his bed and flip him back over throughout the night as he rolls over, there isn't much you can do. But the major concern is before they can move away from a dangerous situation. Typically once they can roll over to their tummies, they can roll back over if necessary. Just make sure there's not much in the crib so he can't really get stuck and let him sleep however he is comfy.

my son did the same thing. my ped. told me not to worry. if he's able to roll over, he will be able to alert you (or roll back over) with trouble breathing. just keep ALL soft bedding away from him (pillows, blankets, bumpers, etc.). my son slept in footie pj's, and a sleep sack. it's cold in our old house, and i was afraid to put a blanket on him...

Hi K.,

I do think a lot of moms do go through this. My children both slept on their bellies as soon as they were old enough to roll over on their own. At first I was nervous about it like yourself, but quickly realized they were actually sleeping better and for longer stretches that way. They were just more comfortable. And, if they can roll over, they will roll themselves back if need be.

I'm a 29 year old mother of 2. Don't worry. As soon as your child is able to roll over, the risk of SIDS drops to almost nothing. Rolling over is a sign that he has the strength to lift his head or turn it in order to avoid suffocation. Take it from me, if your baby is sleeping through the night, let him. If you are truely worried, get an Angel Care monitor. It is a sensor pad that goes under the mattress and detects the baby's movement/breathing. It really helped me fell comfortable when my kids are alone in the crib. Good luck!

K.,

My daughter did this also. She just always preferred sleeping on her stomach. So much so that when she was an infant we had to let her fall asleep on her stomach and then flip her over. To ease your mind, her pediatrician told us that as soon as the baby can roll themselves over there is nothing you can do. Also, the risk of suffocating is greatly decreased because if they need more air while they are on their stomach, they can roll themselves over.

honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about it. My daughter is now about 16 months old. She started sleeping on her belly when she was 2 weeks old. She wouldn't sleep at night if she was any other way. I let her do it. I made sure I had the Angel Care baby monitor that senses motion in her crib. I slept 2 feet away from her for the first 3 months and she was fine on her belly.

At 6 months your son should be fine sleeping on his belly! They say the kids can as soon as they can roll over!!!!

My son, who is now almost two, did this as well. It freaked me out at first but the pediatrician said once they are strong enough to do that, the risk of them suffocating from being on their stomach dramatically decreases because they are strong enough to roll over if they have problems. Usually they can roll front to back before back to front so I think you're ok. Just take the regular precautions you were taking before - no comforters or stuffed animals. Good luck!

My son, who is almost 3 now, NEVER slept on his back, even before he could roll over. We would put him in his crib on his back and he would cry and cry, then we put him on his stomach and he went right to sleep. Our pediatrician said this was ok, to just be sure there were no blankets, pillows, atuffed animals or anything else in his crib. We only had a bottom sheet and a crib bumper in with him. We made sure he was dressed in warm, footed pajamas so he wouldn't get cold. To this day, he does not sleep on his back.

My husband and I were first-time parents and I really stressed out about this. I read a lot about it on the internet and there were a variety of opinions, professional and otherwise, about whether or not babies should be "forced" to sleep on their backs. There are even devices sold to keep them from rolling over!

Ask your pediatrician to see what he/she says, but remember, when we were babies, our moms were told to let us sleep on our tummies so we would not aspirate if we spit up in the middle of the night. I think babies do what is most comfortable for them. My son did, and he's just fine. Good luck!

Hello...I have 2 children, my daughter is 8 months old and was rolling to her belly very early and by the time she was 2.5 months old I couldn't keep her on her back. I do have an angel care monitor, which made it much easier for me with her then when my son started that, though he was older. As soon as you lay her down, her thumb goes in her mouth, and she rolls to her belly. And she is a wonderful sleeper. The pedi said no bumper pads or anything (I keep nothing in her crib at all, no toy, no blanket) and that if she's rolling on her own, to let it go because you can't stop progress. Hope that helps, and good luck!

K.,
Your son will be just fine. Every single one of us slept on our bellies when we were infants/toddlers. You can try and try to keep him from rolling over and you will just end up with a sleepless night and an unhappy baby. There are so many 'medical opinions' and research about SIDS. But did you know (through my birthing classes) studies are now linking SIDS to the brain and not just suffocation? So, there could be an issue already with an infant that has nothing to do at all with sleeping on their bellies.
Relax and enjoy him sleeping comfortably...my advice is from a new mommy too as Cody is my one and only and is now 1 who has been sleeping through the night on his belly (with the monitor still.)
Christina
Christina

Hi K.,
My daughter was about 1 1/2 months when she started rolling over on her stomach to sleep. I tried to keep her from doing it but nothing seemed to help. She would wake up crying if i tried to stop her from rolling over and sleeping on her stomach. I eventually said whatever and just let her do whatever she wanted. There was never any problems and she didn't suffocate obviously. Still to this day she sleeps on her stomach and she will sleep all night as long as she's on her stomach. If you are worried about SIDS, like I was, I later found it's not caused by them sleeping on their stomachs it's something that is genetic.
My advice is to let him sleep how he wants to. Just make sure there are no stuffed animals, blankets or pillows to block his face so that he won't have any problems. I think he'll sleep so much better if you just let him sleep how he wants just like I did for my daughter.
Hope this helps!
E. H

My first daughter (now 2) started rolling over to sleep on her belly at 6 or 7 months, and still sleeps that way. She was just more comfortable that way, I guesss. I was told if they are strong enough to roll over, it's ok to let them sleep that way. I was freaked out too, at first, and did try turning her back over. I can tell you that didn't work for me - she just rolled back over! Our daughter used a pacifier to sleep, which did help relieve some of my nervousness - they are supposed to reduced the SIDS risk. You may want to try a sleepsack for your son - it's harder to roll over in them, and they are a safe way to keep baby warm.

My daughter did this too. From everything I read, if he is strong enough to be able to roll over on his own, then he is ok. Still put him down on his back, but don't risk waking him up to roll him back over if he goes on his own. I also read that having a pacifer while sleeping helps to avoid SIDS. Something about the plastic helps to keep their nose away from the blanket.

My son did the same thing and like you, I was constantly rolling him onto his back while trying not to wake him up. No matter how many times I put him on his back, he always ended up on his tummy. Our ped reassured me that it was totally normal and once babies are able to roll onto their tummies, it's fine to let them sleep that way. I think they actually like practicing rolling over so much that they do it in their sleep. And it's cute to watch my son sleep with his little butt in the air!

they say once the baby starts to roll just take everyhting out of the crib and let nature take its course. the only reason they should not sleep on the stomach is for fear of suffocation. once they are able to roll over my doctor said that fear is no longer there because if they can roll onto their stomach they will find a way to roll on their back also.
you really have nothing to worry about and don't stop your baby from rolling because you do not want negative effects.

I went through the same thing. I was a nervous wreck! But I asked my son's pediatrician about it, and what I was told is, let him go. I know it scares you, I still get a little frightened, and my son is almost 2. Just check in on him when you go to bead, and that'll be fine.

Hi K.,
My son is 9 months old and he started rolling from his back to belly at 3 months. I too was very nervous about him sleeping on his stomach and used a positioning wedge initally to prevent this from happening. I also use sleep sacks instead of blankets and then I don't have to worry about him suffocating. After my son was better able to roll both ways, I stopped using the wedge. He now sleeps most of the time on his stomach, and actually sleeps better and longer. Good luck, I am sure everything will work out.

Not to be rude but what can you do? Are you going to watch him every tiem he falls aleap to roll him over? When they are that age they start rolling over and I think you should let him be. Its understadable to be nervous as a first time mom but I think he will be fine. I don't think babies die of SIDS just becasue they roll on their bellies, I think its becasue of other problems. A friend of mines son deid from SIDS and she got very into all the thries and it goes into chemicals and possible heart brain problems. So stop worrying and get soem rest yourself, or take the tiem for yourself.

All three of my children were belly sleepers! They slept better on their bellies. I think especially when the can roll over on thei own its not an issue. Just make sure there are no pillows or bulky blankies in with him! Mine just slept with temperature appropriate PJ's and nothing else.

As long as your son is able to lift his head on his own he'll be fine. I still get nervous about things in the bed, but if he just has his blanket he'll be just fine.

It's always hard with the first one.

These are the things to remember.

It is better to wear warm pajamas and/or a sleeping bag (you know the kind with the arms built in that zip their feet in the bag part) than to use blankets. A light blanket is alright. Nothing real thick, though.

Keep all toys, stuffed animals and pillows out of his bed.

With his bed clear, he should be fine. Once they are old enough to roll over, it is natural for them to roll back over if they are having problems breathing. The problem would come if you had something which prevented him from being able to do so (like toys, a thick blanket or a pillow).

My third child is the same age. I know a part of you will always worry a little. That's why Moms tend to check on the baby so much. I noticed I check much more often than my husband. I was so worried about it when my daughter (now 8) was a baby that I used to sleep in her room to make sure she didn't have any problems. As you become more experienced and as you see that they are able to do different things to handle different problems on their own, you start to relax.

Good luck.

I had always been told that once they could get to their stomachs on their own they'd be fine there. My boys (16 & 14) never could sleep on their backs, so I let them be on their tummies. I just made sure that there was nothing around them or their heads...no blankets, toys or pillows.

Hi K.,

I think this is one of those decisions you and your husband will need to make on your own, about whether or not to allow your son to sleep on his belly. I was wary of it, too, when my first child was born in 1997, but I realized she was much more comfortable on her belly, and I watched her closely to make sure she was breathing well. My husband and I, being overwhelmed with all the baby advice and magazine advice, went back to the basics in our baby-care and decided, "the baby is breathing fine and if she is strong enough to roll over on her own, then she's strong enough to wiggle around enough on her belly to breathe comfortably." We allowed our son to sleep on his belly when he was born two years later in 1999, then also our second daughter in 2003. Another thing I noticed that was different between babies who sleep all the time on their backs and babies who switch from back to belly, is that the babies who always stay on their backs, do not have the normal-looking round back of their heads. Their heads are actually flat on the back, and they stay that way, as far as I understand, throughout childhood. I think it's because the baby's skull is more flexible during the first months, so naturally, if the baby is on his/her back sleeping all the time (and you know how much babies sleep), there is the effect of the back of the head being constantly pressed.

I don't know when medical experts began adamantly suggesting back-sleeping for babies, due to the scare of SIDS, but I do know that since you and I were children, views on baby and child care have become much more serious. This is where it's really important for you and your husband to decide together and support one another, as to whether or not you're going to make your own decisions in your child-rearing, or whether you're going to allow the American society to make your decisions, which can make parents extremely weary, with all the new gadgets and ideas and "potential problems" that we simply did not have when we were babies.

Please don't consider yourself a nervous mom. We all want to do the best for our children, but it won't do any good to be nervous, or guess what? Your children will be nervous children! Relax and if you're open to God, then allow Him to be in charge of your parenting. After all, He's the best Father in the world!

Sincerely,
C. Phillips

My daughter just turned 9 but when she was a baby - the doctor told me that once they are able to start rolling over they are strong enough that if they have diffuculty they will roll or move. I don't think you need to worry. They find a position that they are comfortable in and can rest and it is all a natural part of developement.

My son that is now two was a belly sleeper. I started putting him on his back, but as soon as he could roll over he would roll to his stomach. I would go back in and roll him over during the night. Eventually it became worthless to try to keep him on his back. I was told that as long as he can roll over then let him. Make sure there isn't any blankets in his crib for him to suffocate in. Personally I would just let him sleep on his belly if he keeps rolling over.

www.momtomombiz.com

Try not to worry. As long as he is rolling himself over he should be fine. He can obviously turn his head to breathe. He will actually probably sleep better and longer on his belly =) He may just prefer his belly.

Well, I have to say that all of my four children slept better when they were on their tummy. The oldest is 7 so this has all been since the back to sleep campaign. There are a few things to consider. If he can roll over he will usually be fine. Also if he has decent neck strength he should be able to breath with out trouble through the night. Unless he has other respiratory issues (terrible asthma). Additionally houses with someone who smokes in the house tend to increase the chances of SIDS deaths, houses with out, decrease the incidence of SIDS. Other issues are determined based on sibling history which you don't have any other kids to base that on. He should be fine, and most things you would do to stop him from rolling over would be more disruptive than just letting him sleep. So I say, Happy sleeping!

My son always slept on his belly, he still does.
In my opinion, you should let him do it. He needs belly time as well.
I.

Hi K.
I have 4 children 5 and under and all of my kids have slept on their stomach from the time they were old enough to lift their heads. I do not keep anything in their cribs and always place them in the middle. if he is old enough to roll over at will then he will pick the position that is the most comfortable and will be able to roll from my stomach to back if he needs to. my youngest is 7 months and she alwasy sleeps on her stomach. i know that the doctors say not to let them sleep on their stomachs because of choking, however, it seems to me that it would be easier for them to choke if laying on their backs if they threw up. that is merely my opinion and what i have learnt from experience. my best advice- trust your instincts as a mother. hope this helps. C.

I think people make too much of tummy sleeping and babies. My DD since day one has been a primarily tummy sleeper. (Initially, also a side sleeper -- then tummy after about a month or 2). It probably feels better for your little one, and while I'm no expert, my DD is now 11 months old and has not suffered from being a tummy sleeper.

My feeling is that if she's sleeping, that's WAY more important than HOW she chooses to sleep (i.e. tummy/side/back).

Hi -

I had the same paranoia when my daughter (now 4) hit that stage. When I asked our pediatrician about it, he said that if they can roll over on their own, it's okay. If you happen to get up in the night and see them on their stomach and can roll them over without disturbing their sleep, you can. But when they reach the age when they can roll over on their own, they're usually okay.

There are mats that you can lay a baby in that will cocoon them so they remain on their back. I know moms who have used them and swear by them, but I never tried it, so I can't say firsthand.

Hope that helps.
Good luck!
Cindy

Talk to your doctor and see what he or she says but what my doctor told me for my daughter is that if they can get themselves over on their stomach then they can pretty much get themselves back over. My daughter starting doing that early on about 5 months and she was fine. Always talk to your doctor though.