sleeping on stomach

[jsmith328]

My 6 week old has a very hard time staying alseep for long periods of time. I finally put him on his stomach one day for play time and he fell alseep and stayed asleep for a good amount of time. I know that there is a risk of SIDS with sleeping on his stomach so I didn't do it again until yesterday because he was so tired. He napped for 1 1/2 hours!! I have heard that when they start rolling over or have a strong head that they natuarally sleep this was. My baby already weighs 13 pounds and has a strong head but is not rolling over. Should I wait for his to start rolling over?

[N Lou]

Our ds is a tummy sleeper too, but we waited till he was rolling over himself.  And then it was pointless putting him back on his back as he would just roll on his tummy again!!
My reason was that if he did get into trouble, he wouldn't be able to flip himself back onto his back.

Could you try him on his side, using rolled up blankets either side to support him?

[Aarismom]

We started at around 2.5 months when she had completely mastered head control. She's 5 months now and still not rolling over :cry:

We started out by allowing her to sleep on her tummy during naps only. At night we would let her fall asleep on her tummy, then roll her back onto her back the rest of the night. At around 3 months she woke at 3 am cooing and playing on her back, my DH got up and rolled her onto her tummy, she fell back to sleep for the rest of the night. We started putting her to bed on her tummy and never looked back.

I think it's a decision you have to make yourself. I think a lot of babies do sleep better on their tummies for a few reasons regardless of the information out there that says that it's not true. However, I wouldn't let any baby sleep on their tummy unless they've at least mastered head control, and even not then if they were born premature, as the risk is higher.

I think the best position is side sleeping at that age, however. But that's my own opinion, and I'm not a doctor

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[micah'smom]

we did tummy sleeping only in the middle of the night from about 5 weeks old since ds always had gas issues after our nightfeed. and he's bf'd! go figure.

he had great head control for his age. i think it's your personal decision although a lot of moms would recommend getting an angelcare monitor, which beeps and alerts if there is no movement (it detects breathing) for over a few seconds.

that being said, right now we are in a huge tizzy since ds wakes up when he rolls onto his back and he's too tired to roll onto his tumm again. if i could do it all over agian, i'd do side-sleeping to try to avoid this conundrum 

[Alison_3]

Hi there.  My ds would only sleep on his stomach basically since he was born.  He has reflux and would sleep better on his belly.  He's my first child so I was really scared about everything I had read about SIDS.  I wouldn't sleep at all.  I would just check on him all the time.  We did buy the angelcare monitor which did make me feel better.  It works too, that alarm can wake the whole neighborhood up!

It truly is a decision that only you can make.  The monitor made me feel better and as soon as my ds had control of his head we both started sleeping better...of course that was/is when his reflux is under control!