Sleeping on the belly???

Ok, so here's the dilly... DS (Logan) HATES sleeping on his back and on his side (he's 4wks). When I have him, he sleeps on me on his belly and will sleep for HOURS at a time, but when I put him to bed on his back/side, he's up within minutes.
I have been having him sleep on me for the last two weeks on and off, since I have been getting NO sleep whatsoever when he's in his bassinet or crib...

So, my question is, what's the deal with letting them sleep on their bellies in the crib or bassinet? If it's a hard surface and there aren't any blankets or soft toys around, is it still a huge problem?? I've heard about the SIDS issue, but I'm so confused (never mind sleep deprived) about this...

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

They believe that they go into a deeper sleep when on their belly. Some believe that when they go into a deep sleep they forget to breath.

Some also believe that they re inhale their exhales which means lack of oxygen when on their tummies. Since no one knows for sure what causes SIDS everything is just a guess. All they know for sure is that SIDS rates dropped once they started the back to sleep campaign. They now believe that having a fan on in the babies room might help reduce this risk.

I lost my first child to SIDS (he was wide awake in my husbands arms so he wasn't the "typical" SIDS case). But due to his death I only allowed my girls to sleep on their tummies when they were napping right next to me while I was awake. Not a risk I was willing to take. I would give up good sleep to reduce the risk of losing another child.

As a parent you have to chose what is important & right for you and your baby. So do a little research on the subject then come to your own decision

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

IMHO.... there is no big deal if your DS has a some control over his neck. For example: my DS ha been holding his head up since birth to the point where nurses in the hospital were shocked. lol. so I would let DS sleep on his tummy often. He would lift his head left and right to get comfortable.

I think the big deal for the population is that babies could stop breathing by keeping their nose and mouths pressed against the pad/mattress/etc.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

My ds has been sleeping on his belly since birth. He has always been able to move his head around. THe concern with the belly is that the baby may not get enough air that is why they say back is best.
Do whatever works for you and your family. We all slept on our bellies :)

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

Same issue here... exactly. Cooper does not like sleeping on his back, he gets startled awake when he moves his hands. He refuses to be swaddled too, so that can't help it. We just bought an infant positioner so we are trying that now. But most nights he will start in his bassinet and sleep for maybe 2 hours on and off... and then it's all me. Just call me "mommy-posturepedic". lol. If he doesn't sleep on me, I get no sleep either.

In the morning after his first bottle, I put him on his tummy for his morning nap and he sleeps easily for 2 hours. Ofcourse I'm staring at him the entire time like a maniac.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

My DS is the same way... can NOT stand his back... he loves being on his side, or even his belly... For 2 weeks out of the 4 weeks he's been home, I've been having him sleep on me on his belly...but i'm trying to stop that now..before he gets TOO comfortable with that. It's been a struggle getting him to sleep now...specially since he does NOT like the back...he can be sound asleep in my arms...and once I put hijm down on his back...and walk away...he's awake crying. Finally tonight I suckered into putting him in the sleep sack... even tho he does NOT like being swaddled. I got hiim nice and sleepy...and then put him in the sleep sack.... he sturggled to get his arms out right away... ( he loves to put his hands in his mouth ) .... but I just cuddled him a bit more in the glidder, and within a few minutes, he was out cold. I put him down on his back in the basinette, and now 4 hours later, he's still sleeping all comfy. I am going to try this sleep sack each night....HTH

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

When DD#1 was born(she is 9) they told us to put her on her belly(that was the theory at the time) because if they spit up while on their back they could choke.
DD#2 they told us side or back, well she rolled to her belly at 10 weeks and slept awesome, so we left her. She did have good next strength, as per ped.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

Ann has slept on her belly since the beginning. Sometimes she'd nap on her back when she was tiny but only in a vibrating sleep positioner.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

As long as they have head control I think it's ok. My Ped wasn't thrilled when I told her Mason rolls to his belly to sleep at 3 months.

I didn't put him on his belly till he went on his own. I do have a close friend who's DS will ONLY sleep on his belly. He freaks on his back. Her Ped said to put him on his belly and to get one of those mattress monitors that goes off when the child stops moving. Maybe you should look into that if you're putting him on his belly

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

There were quite a few nights when DD fought being on her back and I let her sleep on me on her belly. But I was never comfortable with the idea, so every night I would try to put her down on her back. She didn't like being swaddled so I used the infant positioner in her pack and play. Some nights it worked and others it didn't. Now at almost 5 months she's sleeping on her back in the crib. When she can roll in both directions if she's comfy on her belly I won't change her. But as for now it's on her back.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

is he swaddled? i would not consider belly sleeping at 4 weeks, but everyone uses their own judgement

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

I thought I was the only one who allowed her baby to sleep on his belly.
My DS does not like being swaddled & hated sleeping on his back since birth, he is 4 weeks now. If we put him on his back while he is asleep, he will wake up in minutes screaming & then when we sit him up, he spits up/throws up. He has been holding his head up since birth & can turn his head left & right. Right now I sleep with him in the same room so I feel comfortable letting him sleep on his belly. Don't know what i'll do once we put him in his own room though.

Message edited 3/3/2010 9:01:17 AM.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

I thought I was the only one. My DS has slept on his belly since he was 3 weeks. He started out sleeping on his side for short periods and then he only slept on his belly. He has never slept on his back, not even for a minute. He would fall asleep in my arms on his back, the second you put him down he would wake up. At first I was very nervous to let him sleep on his belly but my DH convinced me, he had good head control and moved it from side to side. He has been a great sleeper, and we are all happier for it. At 8 weeks he would sleep 10pm till 5am have a bottle and sleep till 10am. By 13 weeks he slept from 9pm to 9am. To me you have to do what works best for your family.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

Message edited 3/3/2010 10:15:34 AM.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

I started Rylan on his belly for naps at 6 weeks...then moved to nights.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

My DD has been sleeping on her belly since about 3 weeks old. My ped said it was fine- she had excellent head/neck control and upper body strength.

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

I had this issue with DS at first too. However, everyone made me a paranoid mess over it, so in the end I just couldn't do it. Even my ped. was like "I'm not hearing this...." when i told him that DS liked his belly,so we compromised. I bought a positioner, swaddled him and put him on his side....that seemed to work for us. Now he hates his belly, go figure!

this is how he would nap w/out the positioner

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

DD was a belly sleeper at about 3-4 weeks of age. She was only happy sleeping this way and this is what worked for us. She had pretty good neck control since birth and I gave it a try one night.. she slept all night!

Re: Sleeping on the belly???

My DS would not sleep on his back for more than a few minutes, so for the first two weeks he basically slept on me, which meant I didn't sleep and became miserable real fast.
Now at 8 weeks I allow him to sleep on his tummy. However, he does sleep in the room with me. I check him often, give him a pacifier and he has good head control. He is capable of moving his head side to side and often does.