4 Week Old Will Only Sleep on Tummy

I had the same issue with my daughter and was nervous every night for 3 months! But, she did sleep and she is now 6 months old sleeping on her back. I think once she started to roll over about 4 months, she started to roll on her back at night.

My 5 week old is the same way. I don't worry about it too much since we know she has strong neck muscles. She has been lifting her head and looking around since the day she was born. I would do whatever you are comfortable with!

I'm a grammie who's generation said to place the child on their tummy NOT their backs and our children survived. SIDS was a concern for us also.

My grandson would not sleep for more than an hour on anything but his tummy (then he'd go 6-9 hours!). My daughter (without my interference) decided that his sleep was more important than what the pediatricians said so she just never told them.

My advice: if she's still in your room or if you've got a monitor in her room, if she wants to sleep on her tummy...let her!

Hi K.,

I have two little boys, and my first (now 5 years old) would sleep only for 15 minutes on his back, but HOURS if I placed him on his tummy. With all of the talk of SIDS, I was terrified.

But, I found a baby movement monitor at Babies R Us (you can get it on Amazon too) from BebeSounds called the AngelCare Movement Sensor. Like the box says, it can't stop SIDS... but it can detect the slightest break in regular movement that comes from the babies breathing and heartbeat.

It looks kind of like a cookie sheet that you stick under the mattress. I was amazed that it worked, but we tested it and when there is no movement on the matress - the alarm BLARES.

This really helped me feel okay about laying my little guy down on his tummy. I think it also helped he and I develop good sleep habits for him. Even at 5 he's great about going to bed and sleeps deeply for 10 hours every night.

Good luck!

--R.

I understand the whole sids thing but kids slept on their tummies for years, remember not to have any loose blankets or sheets for them to get tangled in, and just check periodically on her. You have to do what is comfortable for you, have you tried the sleeping positioners they have out, maybe it's just she feels comfortable with something close to her tummy.

Both of my daughters sleep/slept mainly on their stomachs. I made sure the sheets couldn't bunch up or anything else could get by their face. They both could lift up their heads from birth so they were pretty strong. Anyway, I read that a very possible reason for SIDS is offgassing of the mattress. Drool and fluids mix with the chemical flame retardents and such and create toxic fumes. I got organic futons for both of them so I wouldn't have to worry about that.

Hello K., I remember the worries of being a first time mom. It will get better. Both my kids slept on their tummys. I would place them on their back and not even 10minutes they were waking up. So I gave up. Just make sure there is nothing around their head that would prevent them from breathing clearly. Also, make sure that you don't have any heavy blankets that would cause your baby to get too warm. Monitor and check on her to make sure her nose isn't embedded too much in the mattress. (don't want to obstruct her breathing). I know this sounds like a lot to try to prevent and all the info about sids is scary, however, my kids turned out fine. My eldest is 3 and my baby is 10 months and he still sleeps on his stomach, however, he will turn over on his own now.

hi K., my 1 yr old was the same way. I was scared to death of the sids thing but eventually I gave in for baby's sleep sake and my sleep sake as I already had another 1 yr old that was missing sleep cuz of baby not sleeping. thankfully sids didn't lurk here. I just always laid him on his back and he would turn over on his own to sleep on belly. I just had developed a huge habit of checking on him every couple hours. I don't think there really is anything you can do about it. kids are stubborn.

K., I know what you are going through. I was very scared to put my kids on their tummies, but putting them on their tummies was the only way to get my kids to sleep. My daughter had acid reflux and by sleeping on the belly relieved the pressure of the reflux for her. I talked to her doctor about sleeping on the tummy and the doctor told me that is what her kids did to. So, if that is the way your child needs to sleep I would say go for it. Just for the first few times check up on her while she is sleeping to see how she does. Good Luck!

Hi K.,
I understand your concerns about this. My children are all grown and have children of their own. When I had my babies I was so afraid that if they spit up or something they would choke to death, therefore I always put them on their tummies. They loved sleeping that way... they would cuddle up with their blanket and feel snuggle warm. It sounds like this feels natural to your baby. It just amazes me that over the years things change and now it is supposed to be bad.
Enjoy your baby and do what you feel is right for you and this little one. God Bless

Hi K.,

I will first tell you about my daughter. The DAY...yes, I said DAY she was born, I was holding her against me and she lifted her head to look around. I would have never believed it, but it happened! She also liked to sleep on her tummy from very early on. We had no real concerns because we knew she had good strength - enough to lift her head to turn and look around. We all hear it's a no-no but I have to say that years ago - as I speak to older mothers - many children (including myself and possibly my siblings) slept however they wanted to without the experts saying NEVER do it! The thing is to be cautious. It if is a nap and you are near by to check on her, then I'd say go for it. If she seems to not have the strength to turn her head, then for now, at night, I'd say keep her on her back. Hope this little insight helps! Good luck and congratulations on your little one!
A. E

I had the same issue with my son and he would not stay asleep if I put him on his back or side. My sister who has 4 kids said just put him on his tummy. I fought it but finally gave up and prayed for the best. He starting sleeping much better and for longer periods of time. I did everything else that I could i.e sleeper sack vs blanket, nothing in crib/bassinet with him etc. He is now 2 1/2 so it worked out fine. It is your decision though.
M.

All the advise out there now is that babies shouldn't sleep on their tummies, BUT babies slept on their tummies, on the advise of the experts in case they were to spit up in the night, for literally centuries. Since the SIDS thing is out there, maybe you could do some research on SIDS. From what I've read, many times there was an underlying problem other than tummy sleeping ie: food allergies, undiagnosed heart problems, too many blankets or pillows or just leaving the baby to "cry it out". You know your baby, and YOU need sleep too. If your baby doesn't have any health issues, go with your gut on what's best for YOUR baby. I'm sure you'll do fine.

I know you have already received alot of responses but I just wanted to add...that if you are worried about it they have a product (a mat) that you would place your 4 week old on and it detects movement/breathing. If it doesnt detect it every 15 seconds an alarm goes off to the receiver which you would have by you....good luck

Do the sleep aids help any with her comfort level? This wasn't a "rule" when my oldest was born and he always slept on his tummy. He's 18 now. I tried with my next one, NEVER got any sleep until I put her on her tummy. So, with the next two, I tried and if it didn't work, they slept on their tummies. I don't know if this helps any. I think you have to trust your instincts as a mother.

My daughter was the same way. I let her sleep on her tummy for naps and such when I was nearby. She co-slept with me for her first four months and then moved to her crib where she has happily slept on her tummy ever since (she is 16 months now). I worried a little about sids, but also felt that this was a safer way for her to sleep since if she spit up, she would not choke on it. I have heard that children who sleep on their tummies from the start are less likely to have a problem.

My advice is to let her do it. Children know what they need to do for sleep, and we should listen to them.

Good luck!

K., My oldest and 1st child slept fine on her back/side swaddled. My 2nd was a snorer and always slept best on his belly. I was like the other mom that only let him sleep on his belly during nap while I was awake and had him in the room with me. By the time he was a couple months he would just roll himself onto his belly and sleep. By age 2.5 the snoring continued and I noticed him stopping breathing during sleep...long story short...him tonsils were so big, they would relax during sleep back into his throat and block his breathing. We had them removed before he turned 3 and he has slept 'like a baby' ever since. I've often wondered if he was having trouble breathing on his back as a baby and feel a little bad for putting him on his back, but SIDS was a concern for me like all other moms. So, maybe she is uncomforatble on her back for some reason...the other mom mentioned her neck...I know a chiropractor who is excellent with children and babies, if you'd like a referral. OR, if she snores, watch out for that too. Follow your mommy gut and do what's best. God Bless.
S.

K.,

Both my boys (now 4/12 and 2) would only sleep on their tummys. If I put them on their back they would just cry and not sleep. So at nap time I would put them on their tummys and at bed on their backs but they always ended up on their tummys. I was afraid too, but I did it anyway and they were and are just fine. Plus they needed the sleep. Does your daughter have reflux or is she colicky? Sometimes if kids have that they like the pressure on their bellies. Both my boys had reflux and they like the pressure on their tummys. I would let her sleep on her belly because she will sleep longer and that means you will be able to get things done. I hope this helps. That is just my suggestion.
H.

You are not alone. Mine did it too! Many children feel more secure sleeping on their tummies and do just fine. I think sids is overrated - of course there are going to be risks - you take a risk every time you get into your car!

Try to relax and know that your baby is getting good rest in a comfortable possition!

Hi K., I had the same problem with my son. I was so worried about sids that I ended up holding him while he slept, which I do NOT suggest. It makes for a horrible sleeping pattern. Around 6 months we found out he had acid reflux. Once we switched his formula & introuced rice cereal he got better. But you have to talk to your pediatrcian about switching formula and explain to him how she only sleeps on the tummy. Good luck, it will get easier

I did not experience this myself but one of my good friends has a 3 year old who would not sleep on his back or side as an infant. She felt the same way and was afraid at first but it was the only way he would sleep. I would just make sure no pillows or blankets and until she gets a little older and able to control her head better - just look in on her.

One thing we had which I really like was a motion sensor monitor that beeped when the baby's motion was not detected. The only problem with it was when he would slide down to the opposite end it would not detect movement and would go off. A friend of mine said she would not like that and it would bother her if it went off and she would not be able to sleep - but I felt it was waking him a bit and it was also my clue to look in on him - I love it - it was a motion sensor monitor that included sound also by Anglecare - BebeSounds I think.

Hope this helps even if just a little - Good Luck!

It might be uncomfortable for your baby to sleep on her back because of something postural, i.e. neck cricks, etc. This can sometime happen after birth, which can often be very traumatic. I would consider finding someone in your area that does cranial sacral work on infants. You usually see results right away, and it often takes just a visit or two. Good Luck.

Try rolling a receiving blanket and place it up to her tummy. Have her on her side leaning on it. (kind of like a pregnancy pillow). I think she may feel to "open" laying on her back and she probably does a lot of jerking in her sleep which wakes her up.
Also swaddling is another way of making her feel secure. I am a nanny and the family I work for swaddled their baby and she slept soundly.
Hope this helps
~B.

Try swaddling her, i've been swaddling my 5 month old since he was born and it works great. you can find the "swaddle me" blankets at babies r us. She may resist it at first, but i'm telling you, if it wasn't for that, my son would never of slept through the night. Its probably not a good idea to let her sleep on her stomach.
Good luck!

Hi K.,
i'm a 52 year old mother of 4 and back in the day we were advised to place our babies to sleep on their stomachs or sides. In case they spit up, they wouldn't choke. I don't know if statistically they've found a lower incidence of sids on their backs....anyway, all 4 of our children slept face down on a lambswool fleece specifically treated for infants. If they cry or spit up, the wool remains breathable. Anyway, hope this helps. J.

My guess is gas. My daughter was the same and she had lots of nights sleeping on my chest.UGH. SIDS is a worry, but if no-one smokes, and she is in her crib just on a fitted sheet with no blankets and no bumper and no toys... then I would let her sleep on her tummy. But if it is going to make you crazy checking on her all the time... I would just try and ride it out. You can make sure you burp her really well, You can lay her across a warm wrap to help her fart... and you can just survive for another couple of months when she will be able to roll herself over and is out of SIDS danger. I feel for you!

Both of my children (now 5 and 1) would not stay asleep on their backs. They both slept for hours if I put them on their tummies...
I tried over and over again to get them comfortable on their backs, but it never worked. Once they could support their heads and lift themselves up (around 1 1/2 - 2 months) I gave up. We both got a lot more sleep!!! I always made sure there was nothing in their beds and kept the monitor turned way up, so that I could hear them breathing (I'm a very light sleeper and any change would wake me up). Good luck!

Hi, I'm a 28yo SAHM and first I've got to say all 3 of my children will or would only sleep on their tummies including my youngest who is 5 weeks old.
Next is that children have been sleeping on tummies for as long as anyone in my family can remember and obviously the human race lives on.
Now not to make light of SIDS because it has to be one of the worst ways for a parent to lose a child since no one can determine the exact cause. BUT putting a child to sleep on their back only lowers the risk of SIDS it doesn't eliminate it. You need to look up who has the highest risk for SIDS and if you fall into any of the catagories like smoker, african american and preemie, than I would probably keep trying. But if not, try and relax, because you need sleep too and your clild can't sleep in a bouncy for the next year.
If you are still nervous you can try side sleeping, my second would sleep that way if she had support behind her so she didn't accidently role onto her back, at least until she could role over by herself. Or maybe swaddling since your daughter probably has a high startle reflex.
But really try not to stress, I know exactly how you feel. My mother was the one who finally convinced me since all my kids could lift their own heads and we didn't fall into any of the high risk catagories. But I still didn't feel comfortable with it until I talked it over with my pediatrician. If you have a good one they would probably tell you the same thing mine did and that was to just be careful. Make sure the matress is firm and the sheets fit tightly. No bumper pad or anything they can bury their face under. And make sure they aren't too warm since that can make babies go into too deep a sleep.

I hope this has helped a little, and you are a wonderful mother.
Good luck and feel free to contact me anytime if you need to talk.
K. D

My almost 2 year old (second child) was the same way. I prayed and prayed and eventually turned it over to God. The statistics for SIDs don't lie-the back to sleep program has reduced the # of deaths drastically so I can't nonchallantly tell you to disregard them but you and your baby need sleep. New reports have suggested that sleeping with a nuk or pacifier may actually help prevent sids too. So the reports are always changing. Do what is best for you and your baby. First time mom is such a loving position to be in-just keep the crib clear of blankets, stuffed animals, even crib bumpers (reports now even warn against the bumpers that used to be a must!). The other suggestion I have heard is to make sure you change which side of his face he is laying on-helps even out the development of the muscles. And not to get too controversial but I have also heard that getting regular adjustments for your baby at a chirpractor can also help reduce the risk. I can reccommend a great chiropractor perfect for kids and babies.
So I guess I don't have any advice per se but I can say my healthly little guy slept on his tummy-he actually slept in that adorable butt in the air position!! What a doll!
A.

K...both my children would only sleep on their tummies. They were not comfortable any other way. I wouldnt worry about it. Millions of children and adults were brought up sleeping on their stomachs. As Mother's we can only do so much and then leave the rest up to God!

K., my 1st child only slept on his stomach. He had really bad gastric reflux(acid reflux)and that helped his tummy. All you have to make sure is that the babies arms are up by her head, not down. Also make sure she can lift her head a little from side to side. I would also suggest not putting any blankets or toys up by babies head. If you think about it most of us at her age slept on our stomachs. Is there any sids in your family??? Usually SIDS runs in families for some unknown reason and if no one smokes in the house, much better too. Good luck....

I have 3 kids who all slept on their tummies. Of course, we wanted to be careful about it, but we experienced the same thing you are with your daughter -- they just slept so much better and more soundly on their tummies. All of my kids made it, and I know that's how my mom put all of her kids down too. One thing we were really careful to do was give our kids our tummy time during their wake time, to make sure their necks were strong and they could turn their heads from side to side. I feel like a lot of people try to put a lot of fear in us as parents about so many different things -- now I'm hearing about no blankets in the baby's bed??? It's getting crazy! Good luck, and I definitely don't think you're a bad mom for letting her sleep in the way she's most comfortable!

Hi K., I'm a mom of two girls 13 & 9 and both sleep on there stomaches. When theye we're that small they were in our bedroom. Moms will always worry... Frankly it can drive you nuts if you let it . You need sleep , they need sleep. I use to worry what if she spit up and drown in it ? But what if she is on her back and chokes on her spit up ??? We can only do what works...and the best we can do!! Good Luck and enjoy that baby !

T. K.

Hi Kristan,

I was wondering if you had thought about chilcare yet for your infant? I run an in home small daycare in White Lake. I currently have one opening for an infant. I specialize in one on one care for infants and toddlers. Feel free to contact me!!

About your baby... Have you tried buying one of those baby blankets that have a bumper on each side? It makes it really cozy for the infants and they won't be able to roll onto their tummys. I used it with my first because I was so worried about him rolling onto his tummy. He was a big tummy sleeper also. It worked great with him. I just sold mine at a mom2mom sale not too long ago. You can find a lot of good stuff at those sales. www.mom2momlist.com Good Luck! :)

Marci

When my son who is now 6 years old was a baby he would only sleep on his stomach. The same thing would happen as you described, he would never sleep longer than 20 minutes on his back. It seemed like when he was on his back and he stirred, he would just instantly wake up and stay up. And he would only take 2 or 3 20 minute naps a day and it was exhausting for me! I finally asked his Pediatrician about it and she just said simply, "he is not at high risk for SIDS so if he only sleeps on his stomach, let him sleep on his stomach". I didn't question her further just allowed him to do so. I can't remember how old he was at this point but I am sure that he was older than 4 weeks. That was my choice and I know that they are at a higher risk for SIDS when they are on their stomachs so in the end I would suggest that you have a detailed discussion about it with your Pediatrician and take his/her advice over any that we offer you here.