Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

My baby sleeps mostly on his back and always through out the night that way but a few times during the day I'll put him on his side or his belly to sleep. I find that he sleeps more comfortably and longer that way.

everyone I know including my childs two pediatricians and myself have slept on their bellies when they were babies.

Did you stick by the DO NOT place babies on their bellies or did you at times place them on their stomachs to sleep? How do you feel about this?

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

my friend does with her son, but she also used the comfort that came with her bedding from 1st day she brought her baby home.

Hes 6m old now, and doing good.

Me i put my dd on back, im terrified of everything.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

i put DS on his belly for naps only.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I started putting DD on her belly to sleep at night at around 11 weeks. She slept so much better this way. The ped told me not to, but I needed to get some sleep

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I just saw our ped. and she said alot more moms are doing it-like a secret society and babies are doing well. Me I am a worry wort so the closest I've come is putting Ty(Taylor's new nickname) on her side. She sleeps better this way too.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I never did until she rolled there on her own. Babies do sleep better on their bellies, which is the problem! Yes, the great majority of kids are ok, but it is a greater risk. Its your choice (like many!) of what risks you want to take. I don't feel like its worth the gamble unless your child is literally unable to sleep otherwise and you are losing your mind.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

DD sleeps almost all naps and most nights on her tummy, she hates it on her back. She is now 12 weeks. We've been doing it that way since she was about 4-5 weeks when she started to be able to push up and turn her head. Even in the best swaddle she wouldn't sleep more than 2 hours on her back. Now she sleeps 8-10 hours in a row at night and I EBF. I have no complaints at all.

At first we were afraid to, then we said, well, we slept on on our tummies and we're here so if it's what she prefers we let her do it.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I have been putting DS on his tummy for naps & at nigth since he was about 8 weeks old.

He just would not sleep on him back, he also starting rollingover at about 11 weeks old so that made me feel better about it.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I put him to sleep now on his belly at almost 3 months but only when I am awake. I purchased a monitor that detects the faintest of the baby's movement while they are in either their bassinet or crib. If the baby stops moving after 20 seconds an alarm goes off. My friend was the one that told me about this monitor. And I swear by it. I bought it at BRU it is called Angel Care by Bebe Sounds.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I have slept my son on his belly since he was 5 weeks old and I am so happy that we made this decision for him. He gets a better sleep, has great neck control & strength, ha sbeen able to push up from an early age and according to my doc - a great head shape as a result.

Whatever a parent decides is the right choice as far as I feel. You do what works for your child and you take care in the decision you make.

We did a lot of reading on belly sleeping as well as the discussions with our doctor and found no reason to consider this position to be of any more "risk" than others.

Message edited 11/16/2007 4:40:42 PM.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

I would put DD on her tummy for naps as long as I/someone was there to keep checking in on her

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

My friend puts her children to bed belly down. she said it's better for their brain development. I don't know about that but I do think that it's not something to be terrified to do. I just haven't done it because DS sleeps well anyway on his back at night. I would hate to have to sleep on my back all night long.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

Since I brought DS from the hospital he has been taken naps on his belly and he loves it. At night, he sleeps on his back.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

i haven't put ds to sleep on his belly in the crib/cradle/pnp, but i do put him belly-down on my belly and watch him sleep. i notice that he sleeps MUCH better on his belly, but i've been too chicken to actually put him down that way.

you ladies have given me courage to give it a try...

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

My son has been napping on his belly since 5 weeks old. At night I still swaddle him. In the mornings (around 5:30/6:00 am) I turn him on his belly and he gives me another hour or two of sleep. He canot sleep on his back without being swaddled.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

When DD was a newborn, I used to nap her on her belly. I would either be right there or check on her a gazillion times though. She slept comfortably that way....me on the other hand....was nervous the whole time she napped. She was fine though.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

My DS was waking up much more sleeping on his back. I first started him on this stomach/side just during daytime naps, then I always put him down this way. He has alway slept much better on his stomach/side. Now he's 7 months old & he looks soo adorable when he's sleeping!!!

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

DS has always slept on his belly. We initially put him on his back when he was first born, but he didn't sleep very well. So we tried putting him on his belly...he slept through the night! He has been a belly sleeper ever since.

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

He occassionally naps on his belly since day 1...

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

My DD was a sleeping nightmare when she came home from the hospital. Everytime I put her to sleep in her crib, she would wake up and cry, even if she was in a deep sleep. I started to put her on her belly and she sleeps like a champ now. She is almost 3 months and has been sleeping through the night for a month now- 9 hours each night! I know we are not "supposed" to put them on their bellies, but go with your gut, and if you feel this will help DC, then try it. I know your question was for naps, and my answer was for bedtime, sorry! But the belly sleeping worked for me!

Re: Has anyone put their newborn down on their bellies for naps?

DD always napped on her belly, esp since I was sitting right next to her.

At night I would swaddle her and she would sleep on her back, but naps always on the belly. They were much longer that way