Sleep on stomach

[bb]

I have recently discovered that Hamish loves to sleep on his tummy. I have only ever let him do this on me chest, but today I had things I needed to do, so popped him into his pram on his tummy, and he had the most magnificent sleep. When I rolled him onto his back, he became unsettled, and only settled again when I put him back on his tummy.

Of course, I am aware that this is a big "no no" in relation to SIDS, but I was wondering does anyone knows at what age SIDS becomes less of a problem ? Is he ok on his tummy as long as I am watching him ? Has anyone else does/experienced this ?

B

[lucyp]

Hi, Most SIDS occurs under 6 months of age. It is best not to have baby sleep on the tummy before six months of age. Do this by sleeping baby on the back or using a safe infant sleeping bag, as these delay rolling over. Most back-sleeping babies can’t roll onto the tummy by themselves until about 5-6 months of age when most of the risk has passed.

Having said this - my bub had reflux and the GP suggested sleeping him on his left hand side because it was more comfortable like this- making sure that the arm closest to the mattress was sort of out - to prevent him rolling onto his tummy or use one of those safety rolls. He absolutely loved it and settled beautifully like this - when he was then asleep - we either rolled him back onto his back or at least tilted him more back than front. Perhaps you could try tilting bub once he asleep or putting him on his side? :)

[Baileyjaysmum]

Hi

For the first four weeks Bailey slept on his stomach on my stomach while I slept in the recliner (if that makes sense). Every time I put him in his cot on his back he would scream. After four weeks I thought enough was enough and I was missing my bed so I put him to sleep on his stomach and was so contented. I started this during the day to keep an eye and him and than eventually at night. He is now 7months and loves sleeping on his stomach. I am fully aware about the sids things but I was confident that Bailey could turn his head from side to side so I was pretty safe.

It is all up to you what to do but just letting you know how I went.

[2under2]

Hi - my bubby has had reflux from practically newborn and would be very unsettled (day or night) on his back. Made the first few weeks very tiresome! My mum put him on his tummy and he settled straight away! From 5 weeks on he has slept on his tummy in his cot or pram. Obviously keep a close eye on them, no toys or blankets etc for bub to get tangled in. I totally am for the sids advice but it isn't a guaranteed fix either. The way I see it, if it works, do it! I have since heard of sooo many mums of reflux babies that have slept on their tummies without drama. :)

[bb]

Thank you all !

As always, the help and advice from this forum is excellent ! As a first time mum, the experience of those who have walked these boards before me is invaluable.m

I don't think I will put Hamish on his tummy every day, as he has no real reason (such as reflux) to do it, but he does seem to like it, so every now and then, when he is diffucult to settle, it is something I will have up my sleeve !

Thanks again !

B

[suziebear]

We have been told by a pediatrition and friend with out first son never to let him sleep on his belly for more then 10-15 mins until 12 months of age. This is because the risk of sids does not drop dramaticly til babies reach 12 months then it halves. Sids is not completely understood but was explained to us like this.
As adults when we breath we breath in and out. When we exhale we actually only breath out about 70 % of our lung compacity. The remaining air stays in our lungs. When babies are born their lungs are filled with fluid that as birth nears starts to diminish and finally at birth their lungs become full of air. However until a baby is around 12 months of age they then begin to have some air left in their lungs as they breath out but the younger they are the less there is. If a baby is on his stomach the natural weight of their body pressed the lungs downwards requiring a lot more effort on the infants behalf to breath and incresing the amount that the immature lungs breath out. Therefore they believe that this has something to do with sids. They sell heaps of devices to pop into babys bed or pram to keep them on their back. One in particular is like two rolls that fold out and the baby lies on the material in between with a roll between them. Jayden went through a huge stage where we could not get him to sleep if he was not on his belly and I thought it ok if I watched him. The doctor said to me "so you watch him and he stops breathing - what then" and that had me think I have no idea. Therefore I asked for tips and assistance to get him to lie on his back. We were advised to lie him on his left side as he was a little bit reflux with a roll on either side so he could roll back but not forward. This did nothing. The next visit the doctor said go and get some bricks of anything similar and prop one end of the cot up so that he is slightly on an angle. We got four telephone books and put two under the head end so to speak. Since that day Jayden has happily slept on his back and the reflux settled. Most hospital basinettes for newborns can be laid in this position as well. He is now 7 months old and can roll over but we ensure that when we go to bed of a night (he has usually been asleep for about an hour or so) we put him back on his back in his rolls and head slightly raised (as cot is raised) and he happily stays like that till morning. I just though this information may help as it is better to be safe then sorry. Good luck.

[bb]

Suziebear

Thank you for that information ! It helps to have as much information as I can get, and other people have certainly had HEAPS more experience than me with these things !

I especially liked "better to be safe than sorry" ... it is the quote that really sums it all up ! Heaps to think about !!

B

[Baby Girl]

If you have to sleep bub on his tummy you could try one of the monitors that has a breathing 'sensor' (not quiet sure how they work). I think they have an alarm that goes off if bub doesn't take a breath for a pre-determined length of time.

[bb]

Thanks for the tip re: monitors.

We have one of those monitors already (and it is great ... well, comforting more than anything else).

B

[madvoice]

Against all sids advice, my 16wko daughter will only sleep on her stomach. She has been this way since she was 8wks old. She always sleeps with her head to the side. Raleigh refuses to settle on her back or her side. Any info on the breathing monitors would be appreciated. I'm only using the regular monitor turned right up to hear breathing but when you're asleep you just can't tell.

[julief]

I brought an Anglicare Sleep Monitior for my 5 month old bub after she had a seizure and stopped breathing, mind you I was totally sleep deprived and paranoid way before that anyway. I know that people say there unnessassary if your baby isnt at what the say "risk" but I was just stressing her and myself out to much constantly worrying so I got it, and I can say her and I sleep a whole lot better now. although Ive just realised that the pad is so sensative it picks up movments from our bed to so of a nighttime I cant be sure its her and not us moving, so now Im back to square one even though she sleeps with us most of the night anyway, which is worse so people have told me for SIDS but after she had fits every hour or so 24/7 for a week she seems very clinging and scared sometimes and I just cant bear to upset her after what I seen her go through I know some people will say its spolied but after being woken up on Mothers Day morning to my brother telling me Dh had take her to the hospital and she wasnt breathing I think she deserves a little comfort if she needs it, so all in all I think the sleep monitors are great if thats what you feel comfortable using so be it, although they are a bit expensive. Julie
PS This is my first post sorry if I just jumped in
My names Julie
DD Makayla 8 months old

[Aprilsmum]

I just registered so that I could respond to the monitors query. Being a first time mum myself, I have found the monitor to be invaluable. We purchased the "Angelcare" monitor. As far as I know, it is the only monitor that sensors both sound a movement. Having this monitor allows us to have peace of mind whilst sleeping, knowing that if bub stops breathing the alarm will sound. We do not have April in our room at night. She has slept in her room since the day we brought her home from the hospital. I have peace of mind knowing that I can hear every sound she makes at night - even when she expells some wind :o They cost around $200 - the best money I've ever spent. Most baby shops have them, but I've found Target to be the cheapest.

The alarm did go off a few times when bub was only a few weeks old. I think that this was just because she was in such a deep sleep that her breathing went very shallow, because now that she is 14wks old, the alarm hasn't gone off for atleast a month.

I just thought that if you wanted to place bub on his stomach when he sleeps, then this may give you a little more peace of mind, although, the SIDS advice from "suziebear" realy gives you something to think about.

Hope this helps,
B

[lily81]

My twin boys have been sleeping on their tummy since about 5 weeks old. I had trouble with them settling and also they kept vomiting alot when they were on their backs. My mum suggested trying them on their bellies and what a difference it made. Not only do they sleep through but they get rid of their wind (from both ends) alot easier. My lactation consultant told me that as long as my partner and I did not smoke and we had no toys or any obstructions in the cot they would be fine. I have found now that they also have really strong neck muscles and they started rolling earlier and I put this down to the fact of laying them on their tummies. I am of the thinking though do what you feel comfortable doing and don't let anyone try to make you feel bad for doing it. My mum had five children who all slept on their tummies and on lambswool rugs. It all depends on who you talk to. In regards to the monitors I had to end up turning mine right down in the beginning because I just could not get any sleep. When the alarm goes off and your heart sinks, you race into the room and all they have done is moved, I think it is quite unnecessary and stressful, however once again it is personal preference. You were given a mothers instinct, and heavens knows I use mine all the time!!!

[Rainbowbrite]

Just a question to all the mums that sleep bub on their stomaches. Are these babies wrapped? Stupid question I know, but i'm just curious. I always sleep MJ on her side because if she's sick, she spits it out alot better.

Thanks
RB

[june05isttimer]

I also sleep my 9week old bubba on her tummy for at least one sleep during the day.
We have a babysense II monitor which monitors their breathing and we have also found this tool invaluable as far as her sleeping in her own room etc.

Our baby sleeps with one of those snuggle head support thingos that you can get namely for the rocker or pram to help with head support.
We put it in her bed and she uses it now as a comfort tool as she snuggles her face into it every time she goes to bed.

I have also found it useful in the pram too even though my pram came with a smaller version of the same thing. This one being bigger seems to feel much more secure for her I think. !!!

Bub rarely sleeps on her back as I think she feels too exposed. She sleeps mainly on either side or her tummy.
The only prob with this though is that we now have issues in the car seat as she seems to have trouble going to sleep on her back.

[J&W'smum]

Hi
I havn't read the whole thread so please bear with me if im repeating what has been said.
My little one now 8 mth has always slept better on his front and i felt realy guilty until i talked to my sisters friend who is a foster carer for babys. shes cared for over a 100 babys she nerly always has one and she gets nearly all of them sleeping through quickly. some of them have even been in withdrawel because their mums where on drugs. she says diffrent babys like to sleep in diffrent ways some like back some tummy some side some like space and some like swaddle its just a case of tring see whats best. i asked her why cot death didnt worry her and she said at the end of the day they do not know what actuly cases it and their just guessing from satistics. the satistics for sids happening to children more when they sleep on their front is bound to be higher because mums have only in recent years been advised to put babys on their backs, befor that all mums put babys on their fronts and i dont belive the insidents of sids has fallen. but then again satistics can be twisted to prove anything. :)

[pickles]

my baby is 5 months old and despite being in a grobag manages to roll onto his tummy to sleep the minute you put him in his cot. I have just had to make sure that all the other 'rules ' are observed - I have no other blankets in the cot , smoke free environment , not over dressed. i am not about to roll him over 10 times a night as he has just started sleeping through.

Pickles
Olivia -02/03
Darcy - 03/05

[Chickadee]

my baby is 5 months old and despite being in a grobag manages to roll onto his tummy to sleep the minute you put him in his cot. I have just had to make sure that all the other 'rules ' are observed - I have no other blankets in the cot , smoke free environment , not over dressed. i am not about to roll him over 10 times a night as he has just started sleeping through.

Pickles
Olivia -02/03
Darcy - 03/05

You can relax Pickles, you're doing the best thing. My dd also started rolling onto her tummy to sleep at around 4.5 months. I called the SIDS hotline to see what I could do about it and basically they said "nothing". Once they start rolling it's hard to stop them, and generally if they're mobile enough to roll then they can turn their head out of trouble too. They said to do exactly as you've done - remove any toys, bumpers, blankets etc that could be a risk and let them sleep.