Infant Who Insists on Sleeping on Her Belly

Its perfectly fine to sleep on her belly if she is turning over by herself. Just make sure she is in a sleep sack type blanket and there are no toys or other blankets in her crib.

I know what the Dr's say, but as long as your baby can roll back and forth on her own, I think she will be fine. My son at 2 weeks old slept better on his tummy. I would just wake up and check on him and he was ALWAYS fine! Just keep away the blankets, teddy bears etc.

Sounds like my first son. At about 4 1/2 months he would flip over onto his belly to sleep--my cousin gave me one of those foam wedge sets, and he steamrollered right over it! After a couple of fruitless nights trying to keep him on his back, I gave up. What I ended up doing was taking EVERYTHING out of his crib, putting him down on his back, and accepting that he was going to flip onto his stomach at some point during the night. He was fine. (Incidentally, both of my other sons also preferred sleeping on their stomachs once they were big enough and strong enough to get into that position themselves.) I agree with the other moms that the risk of something happening is low, as long as you take the precaution of avoiding fluffy bedding or stuffed animals in the crib. Good luck!

My daughter has been sleeping on her tummy since she was 3 months. She is now 10 months old. If she is strong enough to roll herself over and turn her own head, you are in the clear. Don't worry, I still check on mine all the time just to see her asleep in her crib. I think as moms we are programmed to worry about everything!

At Six months my daughter has slept on her tummy and has remained there since. Like the other Mothers said, if she has good head control, she will be ok!

I have had 3 belly sleepers. I do not believe sleeping on the belly alone is the cause of death. If your baby is put on the floor on a blanket face down, she will turn her head to the side. Other things contribute to SIDS, in my humble opinion, like a newborn baby who, for weeks, has labor drugs in her system. Or a baby whose head was severely twisted by the birth attendant and the muscles were compromised. It is more difficult for them to turn their heads. Or a reaction to vaccinations. Remember, before the back sleeping thing, all mothers were told they must put their babies to sleep on their tummies in case they spit up and suffocate on their own vomit. I think you have o do what s best for your baby. She is probably more comfortable that way because it feels more like swaddling - her little arms and legs are tucked under her, she has pressure on her tummy, and it feels more comfortable than being all open and exposed on her back. Just my $.02

once they can turn over on their own, you have a lot less to worry about. just make sure there is nothing in her crib that she can tangle herself up in -- small "lovey" blankets, about the size of a burp cloth are fine.

Hi E.:

I am no expert, but being a single parent, I had to learn a lot on my own. SIDS is not common above the age of two months. Your daughter is now six months old, so if she keeps turning onto her stomach, it means that she is most comfortable sleeping like that. You will not be able to get much sleep if you have to keep watching her to turn her onto her back again. You also mention that she sleeps in a bassinet. You might want to put her in a crib to give her some more space to turn around in case she needs to.

My son couldn't get rid of gas when he slept on his back, and would stay awake crying in pain for hours at night. This was during his first month. My aunt decided to try something - she began to sit with him for three hours each day while he slept on his tummy (and I got some sleep since he would only sleep for 45 minutes to one hour on his back) and got rid of the gas during the day time. He also slept very soundly on his tummy.

My Aunt stayed with us for only two months. When she left, I was too terrified to sleep while my son was on his tummy. And he wouldn't sleep very long while on his back - it was always less than an hour. I was exhausted after about three or four days, and eventually fell asleep one night while he was on his tummy. Both he and I slept soundly. The following day, I woke up in a panic at having fallen asleep. He was still sleeping soundly. I then remembered that in my Mum's and my Aunt's time, the advice was that babies should sleep on their tummies. All their children slept on their tummies. And we all turned out fine.

It took me a while to get comfortable, but I told myself that my son was past the two-month period when SIDS tends to happen. I also knew that I couldn't be very effective in taking care of him if I stayed awake while he slept during the night. I prayed about it and also asked his guardian angel to watch over him. Since the age of two months, my son began to sleep on his tummy. An added plus - his head has always been shaped really well as his skull grew naturally. He is now three years old and can take up a whole double bed with all the positions he sleeps in (he turns around a lot and has done so since around your daughter's age). In fact the crib became too confining for him before he was a year old.

The only thing I did was ensure that there were no stuffed animals, cushions or other toys in the crib, including all the decorative padding that was originally created to protect babies from hitting themselves on the sides of the crib. This stuff only restricts free air flow to the baby. Yes, my son occasionally hit the crib panels with his arms when he was turning around (that is after I removed the padding), but he didn't hurt himself.

I hope this helps.

N. M.

E.,
It sounds like your daughter definately has the strength to move around from her front to her tummy, keeping her risk of SIDS much lower. Once my 2 girls starting to move around, keep their heads up, roll over, etc...I talked to my Dr. and was assured that they were strong and aware enough to sleep on their bellys. But, talk to your Dr. if you have concerns.
Also...at 6 months your daughter should not be in a bassinet, esp. if she is moving around. It's time for a crib :)
All the best,
S.

Hi I felt the same way I'm a Mom of 4 6years and under. All 4 of my children slept on their stomach. I was nervous with each one. They just would not sleep on their back. They would cry for hours until I put them on their stomach,then they were asleep in moments. then I would check on them because I just knew something was wrong, no they were fine every time. They could hold up their head by 1 week and that seemed to put me a little a ease. They are 6yrs,4yrs,3yrs and 7 mos. I know every Mom has to do/find their way through but I hope that what this Mom has gone through might help you find a little peace. Best wishes.

Hi, my daughter was a tummy sleeper, never slept good until she was on her tummy. My suggestion would be to move her to a crib without a bumper pad, I know it sounds horrible, and I had a hard time with it too, but that way, she won't scoot up to it and it cover her mouth and nose. I think once they start rolling over themselves, theres no to much that you can do. My son on the other hand never liked his tummy, even at play time, always his back....good luck.

My babies have done it too. In fact they didn't start sleeping on their backs until they were close to a year old. Every time I but them down on their backs they would scream and wouldn't go to sleep until they were on their stomachs. Their necks were super strong and they could raise them practically from birth and were able to move their heads back and forth very easily so I felt safe enough to let them sleep on their bellies. Yes I watch them continuously for a while to make sure.

But sleeping on their tummies worked for my babies and they have always slept throught the night even durning infancy.

Hi E.-
Once the baby can flip on their own to their belly you no longer have to worry. All my children around the same age learned to turn themselves onto their belly and would sleep the rest of the night in this position. Don't worry, your baby will be safe just make sure you don't have a pillow and blankets near their face.

Good luck,
L.

my son turned at 10 days old, and around 6 weeks I gave in and let him sleep on his tummy... our pedi explained to us that a baby that is strong enough to roll over on thier own is not going to stop breathing... I think at 6 months you are safe, but it's not easy, i know I slept with with my head in his bassinet for the first week terrified of SIDS too.

i don't think i'd be too concerned. i am a massage therapist and craniosacral therapist, and the people i've studied with all say that there tends to be too much pressure for parents to make babies sleep on their backs. the back of the babies head can end up getting flattened from sleeping in one position.

i am not an expert however. i find that mothering magazine is an excellent source of a lot of valuable up to date information. you may want to check it out as a resource.

good luck!

R.

my daughter is almost 9 months and has been sleeping on her belly for several months now. she is FINE! i trust that this is the way she is meant to sleep. i gave up being worried about it..and have found a whole slew of other things to worry about instead!

Hello E.,

I don't think this is a problem if you are vigilent about checking on her when she naps. My baby girl is 7 months old and she has been sleeping on her tummy since she was a week old. She sleeps longer that way... And when she started to roll over at 6 months, the opposite happened and she's waking up sooner. So if your daughter can push herself up and is able to move around the crib by herself, she will be strong enought to adjust herself when she sleeps. IE: when you hold her and she pushes her nose against your chest, she'll readjust immediately to her side so she can breathe better. It's instincts. I know those stories we read about SIDs is scary, so just go and check on her more now, or get those camera monitors so you can see her. Even if you try to change her from rolling over, all it will do is wake her up. She does what she does because she is more comfortable sleeping that way... Good luck.

-dw

Dear E.,

It's been a long time (mine are 19, 17, and 15), but what I remember is that the problem with them being face down is they don't have the neck strength to lift their face out of linens (or what ever may be in their beds with them. If she is strong enough to roll over, don't worry about it - she has that strength. Keep any extra linens, pillows, etc . . . out of the bed for extra peace of mind . . .

good luck!
B.

Hi E., I don't hink you should be woried. It's actually quite normal and common for babies to do this. Once they can hold their head up and turn themselves over, then you're over the point where it's dangerous. At 6 months, she'll probably get a better sleep in a crib so can move around when she wants to. She can also turn her head from side-to-side on her own. Just be sure to only have her on the crib sheet and no blankets until she's a year old. All the best!

That's normal at that age. It's only a high risk for sids the first 5 months. Why are you waking to feed her at night? If she sllep all night you should leave her alone.

my daughter has been on her tummy since 2 1/2 months when she learned to roll over. She is strong enough to roll both ways, but she is in her crib so she has the room to do so. The bassinet does seem small. She is strong enough to roll on her tummy and lift her head then she should be fine. I was so worried for like the first week she was on her tummy, mainly cuz she is so young still.

My daughter did this too. I finally had to just say a prayer and trust that she was strong enough at that age. And she is fine, now 2 1/2 years old.

Hi E.,
I don't have any scientific information other than to say that when I raised my kids, that was the ONLY way you were to let them sleep! Everything changes, someone comes up with studies that tell you to do something different. We were told the babies could choke on spit up etc. on their back. So here I am, a grandma now and horrified with my grandchild sleeping on his back! I say, don't worry about it if she is able to move around on her own, she'll be fine. She is choosing to sleep that way because it is comforting, that tells me she feels safe and therefore she is okay. My grandson sleeps this way now too. He rolls onto his tummy and goes to sleep.
K.

Our doctor told us that once they can turn over on their own, you don't need to worry about it.

E.,
Both my girls slept on their tummy from day one. If she is strong enough to roll over, I would not put anything to keep her positioned. She will be fine!

My son sleeps better on his stomach. So I lay him on his stomach when we are not at home or during the day for naps. I have been doing this since he was a couple weeks old. Of course I am aware of sids and take precautions with the items in the crib, etc. But I read that if you lay them on their back and they roll over, then they are in pretty good control so your daughter will probably be fine.

Omygoodness! Don't worry. Did you know that until very recently, the "official" recommendation was that babies slept on their stomach. The thinking then was that if the baby spit up it it's sleep it wouldn't choke. I think it was just decided in the early 90s that it's better to sleep on the back. If your baby had no neck control at all (like couldn't even hold it's head up), then maybe it would be a worry. Also, if you are still worried you could sleep closer to baby (I believe in the family bed). I think your baby is fine though. Mine doesn't do it (he's 6.5 months and prefers his side), butI have many friends whose kids slept on their tummy from a very early age.

As long as she is turning herself, it's not a problem, she can always turn herself back over. Just make sure there is nothing else in her crib, no toys, no blankets. She is a healthy, strong, active little girl (just like my 6 mo old DD), just have her sleep in a sleeper and a sleep sack, if your worried about her being cold.

my 5 1/2 mth old son does the exact same thing ... I was so worried at first! Now, he will not sleep at all if he can not roll over onto his belly. I asked our ped about it and she said that once the baby is able to roll and move by him/herself then there is nothing to worry about as long as you do not have anything in the crib w/ the baby (no blankets, toys, etc.)
Hope this eases your mind a little!

Don't worry about it! My daughter started doing this at 4 months. I also freaked out at first, but I employed the "3-times" rule. I flipped her back to her back and she flips to her tummy again 3 times, then the I gave into the inevitable - it was time for her to sleep on her tummy. If your daughter is strong enough to do this, then she's strong enough to avoid suffocation (is she really good with tummy time and lifting her head, etc.? If so, she will be just fine). I am also comforted by the fact that my daughter (now 6 months) turns her head to the side so her mouth and nose are clear.

Most babies eventually sleep on their stomachs. In fact, they often sleep better, so this is good news for you!

I believe once they hit six months, the risk for SIDS drastically goes down. I've always read that once they start rolling over on their own, there's not much you can do and that you should be able to worry less...

-M

E.,
I am the mom of a 7 mo. and 3 year old boys. By the time your daughter is 6 mo. old the risk for crib death drops dramatically. If she can hold her head up at a 45 degree angle when on her tummy and is rolling over, there is not much you can do (those are normal stages of development). She also is probably getting too big for the bassinet and needs more room.

I'm 37. I don't think you should worry about it. I was a belly sleeper and so were my sisters. We lived through it. Both my daughters sleep on their bellys too! And now they are 6 and 3 yrs. I think that when they put that stuff out as warnings that there are other things going on...ie, like a mom shouldn't drink while pregnant. Now doctors are telling people it is okay to have a glass of beer, etc. Well, I think those warnings are really for the people that really do drink to the extreme. Your baby is turning herself and I think she is just fine and will be. Don't get me wrong, I was a bit paranoid about it too. I think we all are. However, I did end up removing the bumper pad. That way she can sleep on her tummy and there isn't anything to stop her breathing.

At six months old the risk for SIDS is greatly reduced. Once they are able to roll lessens the risk even more. My baby started rolling at 3 months and the pediatrician said just to put her to sleep on her back and if she rolls to her stomach she rolls, that I didn't need to worry about it.
Take care,
S. G,

If she is strong enough to roll over both ways..I wouldn't worry too much...SIDS is less often in girls than boys...my son (now 5) slept on his tummy from about 5 months on...and it was a blessing because he slept sooo much better on his tummy...I was of course worried too, but I think you know your own baby and if you think she is strong enough to move her head if in trouble then I think she is good to go..good luck!!

I have a 10 week old and I have been putting him on his belly from the beginning.. he just seems to be more comfortable and I think it helps with gas issues too.. I have watched him and he will turn his head back and forth until he gets comfortable.. I read or heard some where that as long as they can lift and move their heads (and they are healthy babies) there is not a problem. It is a natural reaction for us to breath, so if for some reason her face was face down, she would lift and turn it to get air..

You could even start her on her belly during nap times and that way you could watch her and see how she can and will move her head..

my 6 month old who hated being on his stomach for tummy time, started sleeping on his stomach as soon as he could roll himself. the risk of sids greatly decrease once they can mobilize themselves. as scary as it is for the first week, she will be fine as long as she can roll herself back over if she wants! just make sure that she is on a firm flat surface without cushy blankets.

Don't worry about it all three of mine where belly sleepers. And the 2 people I know that had sids accidents the babies wheren't face down, one was on a grandma's bed curled up on his side and he was 1 1/2, the other one was in his car seat, he was fine at the store they put him in the car brought him home toke him out of the car, this is when they noticed that he didn't flinch when being moved and realized he wasn't breathing. Back in the day we all slept on the belly, and most of us survived. Good luck! J.

If she can turn over by herself.. it's fine. She won't suffocate cuz she's strong enough to move! Don't worry good mamma!

If she's strong enough to turn over SIDS isn't the issue. As long as they can lift their head, sit, turn over... they should be fine.

my kids (2.5yr girl, 10mo boy) are both belly sleepers and have done great. as soon as they could roll over, both would be on tummy immediately after being put down on their backs. i tried to use the props with my daughter & they tangled her up and/or woke her, so i ditched them quickly. i think you just have to roll with it. if they are strong enough to roll over on their own (both of mine did before 4mo old), they s/b ok. best of luck!

Don't stress about it. The numbers of SIDS goes down after 6 months. Both my girls slept on their tummies after they learned to get onto them. I always would give a quick check just for my own peice of mind but they were fine. At that age they have a good sence of weather or not they can breath and are strong enough to move them selves if they can not.

I was told once they can roll over the risk declines.

I slept both of my babies on their tummies from birth - yes I know that is not traditional, but they are both great sleepers to this day - aged 1 and 2 years. I would not worry about your little one but would remove any loose items like blankets, pillows, soft toys, from the bassinet or crib and do not use crib bumpers - babies can get caught up in those. If you are very concerned and would like some peace of mind at night try to the Angel Care Monitor - they are not cheap, but very good. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2970307 I used one along with a video monitor, which I LOVE! http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265802 I love being able to see what they are up too in the night and also watch them playing quietly in the am when they wake up! If your baby needs a blanket i used Sleepsacks - they are fabulous! http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2809120

My baby started sleeping on her belly once she could turn over on her own - around 5 months so I would not worry. If she has the control of her head and body to roll over then I would think she will be just fine and probably start sleeping better. Good luck!

My son started turning over at 4 months and sleeping on his belly is his preferred sleep position. You can't make them sleep on their back once they start rolling over. The good news is that their neck muscles are now strong enough to lift and move their head and they have the reflex to cry out and move. You're still not out of the danger zone, but the risk begins to diminish at this point. The only thing you can do is make sure you have a safe crib environment: no crib bumper, blankets, soft towels, and make sure the crib sheets are snug and secure. On cooler nights, you can use a sleep sack to keep them warm. As the weather is warming up, a sleep and play, or even onesie, is often sufficient to keep them at a comfortable temp. Best wishes!

All my kids did that. And I have 3 of them. the pediatrician said that when the can roll themselves over there is nothing you can do-and the are strong enough to move their face if they can't breathe. Plus, he told me to take every thing out of the crib but the sheet. No toys, blankets or bumpers. But, I was crazy, turning over my poor baby all night.

If she can roll herself over then I wouldn't worry. It means she is strong and has head and neck control. My daughter slept on her belly from 2 months on b/c of her reflux. It's ok. Especially by 6 months!

I wouldn't worry. My son has been doing the same thing since he was six months and I also worried about SIDS. I continued to put him to sleep on his back and I tried my best to turn him over if I saw him on his belly, but this woke him up. Plus he'd go back to his belly again and again anyhow. I talked to my sister and she said that babies sleep better on their tummies, it is more comfortable for them. My son is now nine months and still sleeping on his belly most of the time. I don't worry now because I know he has a strong neck and is very capable of turning his neck and rolling onto his back. Go with your gut feeling though. If it continues to bother you talk to her doctor maybe, although he/she may just worry you even more. Good Luck!

If she can turn over, it is time to put away the bassinet. As far as sleeping in her crib, don't worry about if she turns herself over as long as the crib isn't full of toys, blankets or pillows. Basically you can't (don't need) to stop her from turning over at this point.

When your baby is strong enough to roll over then it is less likely for SIDS to happen. just make sure that she has nothing in the crib with her that she can get her nose into or get it wrapped around her.
Also at six months and rolling over you should move her to a crib. Bassinets are not designed for children that roll over and move around. Be careful.

I'm sure all of the other politically correct mommies will freak out when I say this, but I don't really see that sleeping on the stomach is all that big a deal. I slept on my stomach and survived. So did my husband and his siblings.
My son (who is 5 now) preferred to sleep on his stomach. If I laid him on his back, he would fuss and toss and turn. If he was on his stomach, he went right to sleep.
He was always able to lift his head. We did not leave pillows or things like that in his bed. He even started rolling over sooner than other kids his age. His pediatrician said this is because belly sleepers develop stronger "push-up" muscles because they use them more than back sleepers.
There has been a lot of hoopla about crib death "SIDS" and belly sleeping, but very little scientific evidence to support a link. True SIDS is not suffocation at all, but rather a problem in the brain where the brain stem stops sending out commands to breathe. No amount of back sleeping is going to reverse a true SIDS case.
If your child is comfortable on it's belly, and you are monitoring the child when it sleeps, personally, I don't think this is a big issue. Especially at 6 months old. The baby isn't a newborn anymore.

Ask the doctor at what age it is OK for her to sleep on her stomach.

I was going to tell you that she since she could roll and handle herself to let her sleep on her tummy as long as you did not have a pillow because when my children grew up they actually told you to have them sleep on the tummy to avoid choking if they regurgiated.

After I googled sudden infant death and found this:

http://sids.org/nfeaturedques.htm

I decided that a medical opinion, not other mom's opinions should be obtained and you should call your pediatrician to make sure that it is OK for the little one to do that.

If he says she should sleep on her back then try putting a rolled up receiving blanket on each side of her.
H.

Hi E., all 3 of my babies slept on there stomachs from birth on, I want you to think about how you hold/cuddle your baby, most moms do it chest to chest, i call it heart to heart, I don't know of any mom who holds/cuddles their babies with the babies back to them, so when you put babies down on their backs, it's not the secure feeling of being cuddled like it is on their stomachs, I hope that makes since to you, I'm not sure else how to explain it. When my second child was a baby, (he's now 21) his ped told me that all babies at times stop breathing in their sleep, for a second or so, and then their fine, but for some (few) the heart does not get going again, he never mentioned anything about sleep position, I believe they called it crib death, because that's where babies sleep, but a friend of mine her baby died in sleep while being held, they still called it crip death. So many moms write in about babies not sleeping through the night, or not napping like they would like them to, I believe as a mom for 24 years, it's because they are sleeping them on their backs, just my opinion. I with 3 kids i didn't have any of the issues I have been reading about, i know times have change, but I don't think kids have really changed. J.

My kids have both done the same thing, I just put them back on their back if/when I notice they are on their tummy. I think this is normal - don't stress about it, if she is strong enough to roll over she is OK. You are a good mom though to be so concerned. Hugs.

I have read many times that once an infant can roll over, than they can roll back over (on to their backs) again. If I am remembering correctly, the rate of SIDS goes down dramatically at 6 months in part because of this reason. The child is more alert and has some control of their body making sleeping safer. Dont put blankets or toys or pillows in the bassinet. Have her sleep in a sleep sack if she gets cold at night. Dont allow anyone to smoke around the baby or in the house (obviously) and you will have done all you can to prevent SIDS. And if she is letting you roll her back over without waking, do it. Most importantly, trust your instincts. If you feel like there is something wrong or she needs to be rolled over on her back, do it! My son started rolling over at about the same time and at first it was so scary. Now I can see it is just one of the positions that he prefered for a while. Always remember to do what is right for you and your family regardless of what anyone says here or elsewhere. Good luck!

Put her to sleep in the swing so that she can be strapped in. Or even try one of those bouncers that vibrate. She can be strapped into both of them until she is a bit older.

its totally ok because she is already a big baby..my son is also 6 months old and loves to sleep that way but his crib is just beside our bed...When he was smaller, i purposely put him to sleep on his belly because he sleeps well like that, he doesnt easily wake up...If he likes to turn around, i will hear him instanly, mother knows best...just make sure she doesnt get stuck to pillows, blankets, toys around her bed when she wants to turn around.

In my humble opinion, if there are no warning signs or concerns for SIDS, let her sleep as she wishes. Sleep, anyway a baby can get it, is a wonderful thing for the mommy. I have cared for several infants (my own and foster childen) some will just not stay asleep on their backs no matter what! I have had great sleep success letting the little ones with a severe startle reflex sleep on the tummy - but there have never been any concerns around SIDS.

if she can roll both ways and pushes up with her arms when on her belly she should be ok. my daughter started rolling at like that at about 4 months and i just let her be because it didnt bother her sleep at all and she was able to push up with her arms (she was also crawling). i hardly ever put my baby to sleep on her back (it was always the side or tummy i didnt want her head to get flat) i also did a lot of tummy time. yes i agree it is scary to think about all the horror stories. but over all i think she will be ok. good luck!

First of all, your baby should be in a crib, not a bassinet, she's too big for it at her age. That said, if she's big enough to roll over, she's big enough to sleep on her tummy. My advice; move her to her crib tonight and lay her down on her tummy. :)

She will be fine. Let her sleep on her belly. She is strong enough to move over if she cant breathe.

The concerns are for newborns and infants who don't know how to roll over yet, if their nose and mouth is covered if theyre put down on their belly...which is why they are better off being put to sleep on their back.

At 6 months my babe slept on his stomach too and also could pull himself to standing in his crib.

Hi E.,
She is past the most dangerous time for SIDS but check out www.guardiansleeper.com. There is a large size sleeper that covers and positions for the crib. This might help give you the peace of mind you need.
C. :-)

Both of my daughters did the same thing. I always made sure the heavy blankets were not by their faces and just let them sleep how they felt comfortable. Children for thousands of years have slept on their stomachs and they faired just fine.

If she gets there on her own then she is strong enough to move should something happen. Keep all unsafe items out of the crib and get breathable bumpers and you should be fine.

I totally understand your concern. I think that is every moms' worst fear. It's completely normal that your baby rolls over, and I don't know of any way to prevent it. You can buy wedges to put on either side (often sold as a pillow and bolster combo mat), but in my experience, those only delay them trying to turn over, and doesn't prevent it once they know how to. What put my mind greatly at ease was an Angel Care Breathing Monitor that a friend gave us when our first child was born. There is a very sensitive motion sensor pad that goes under the mattress that detects movement or breathing. If your baby doesn't have any movement for 20 seconds, an alarm goes off. I've had a few false alarms when one of my kids has scooted to a far corner of the crib, but I'd much rather have a few false alarms than not know if my baby was in distress. Once, when my oldest daughter had a bad cold, the alarm went off in the middle of the night. We ran in there and got her up and she was able to clear her throat and take a deep breath. She probably would have been fine, but I have great peace of mind having it on our crib. My 3rd child is now using it.

My husband just reminded me to mention that if you do use this monitor, you have to be aware that a fan in the room or a mobile that plays constantly will affect the sensor. It would pick up that motion and essentially not work.

Let me know if I can be of any more help. Good luck!

Try to get her to sleep on her back as much as possible. My son is also 6 months old and prefers tummy sleeping as well. I just switch off and on. There's no problem with it as long as there aren't any suffocation items nearby and she is sleeping on a firm mattress with tight fitting bedding.

No worries!! My son, now 23 months old started rolling over on his belly when he was 4 months old. I spent so much time worrying about rolling him over and waking up to make sure he was breathing that I lost sleep when he was doing fine. By the time I asked his doctor, and he told me it was okay and not to lose sleep over it, I was sleep deprived!! Just relax and let you little girl do what comes natural to her, and she'll be just fine.

Good luck!

My one year old started doing this around 6 months as well.
I was told by my doctor that if he has the strength to turn himself over to be on his belly he has the strength to get himself out of any situation. Just make sure that there is nothing else in the crib with her. Bumpers, blankets, stuffed animals and so on all need to be removed. She should just wear a sleep sack that fits properly and that is all.
Hope it helps!

M.

I have heard that as long as they can role themselves over that it is ok. I would keep doing what you are doing and moving her back on to her back, but as far as I know if she is able to role herself on her stomach she should be able to role her self back if need be.

If she is 6 months old and able to turn over on her own, there isn't much you can do to stop her if she prefers to sleep on her belly. The bigger concern is when they are really small and can't reposition their head on their own. I would still take precautions -- no squishy bedding or toys to sleep with -- at least until she is a year old. But I wouldn't worry yourself too much about it at this point.

Hi E.,

I also have a 6 month old son and was told by our pediatrician that once they can roll over on their own it's fine for them to sleep on their tummy. In fact since my son starting rolling over I usually put him to sleep on his tummy because he seems to sleep better this way. I was very cautious and never let him sleep on his belly until he started doing exactly what your daughter is doing now. The only thing I would think about more is the padding of the bassinet. My son is in a crib and I decided to remove the bumper. He did bump his head on the railing one night, but he wasn't hurt and we decided to leave it that way. He has done fine on his tummy and seems very content. Sometimes when he wakes up he is still on his belly and sometimes he turns over onto his back. I hope this helps. By the way I think the risk of SIDS, suffocation, etc. is much lower now that our babies are over 6 months. Although I will admit I still make sure my guy is breathing every night before I lay down to sleep :)

E.,

Believe it or not, but my daughter turned over from her back to her belly on her 2nd day of life right in the hospital. The nurse wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. So needless to say, I had the same worries as you from a much earlier stage. What I was told, which made me feel so much better, is that if your child is strong enough to roll over on her belly, then she is strong enough to move her head so she won't suffocate. The concern is when the baby is placed on her tummy when she's still not strong enough to move her head if she cannot breathe. Some babies are just more comfortable on their tummies, just like adults.

My second daughter did this too. I just made sure there wasn't anything in the bed that could get in the way of her breathing. I asked the pediatrician about it and she said that I shouldn't feel like I have to flip her back over. I love to sleep on my tummy too so I understood my daughter's need.

I worried with my little one who started turning over in her bassinet at 4 months. I moved her to her crib as she was getting to big for the bassinet and now she is a stomach sleeper at 6 months. Once they are old enough to roll they are fine.

Hi E.,
It's my understanding that once the child is old enough to roll over on her own, not to worry about it. There's really nothing you can do short of watching her all night and flipping her back over. Continue putting her down on her back without any blankets and she should be fine. In the positive parenting class we took before the birth of our son last year, they strongly recommended against using those sleep positioners as well; I guess the baby could get stuck with her face pressed against the side. When we first brought our son home, he would lift his legs in the air and roll onto his side. I asked the nurse at my first well-baby visit when he was less than a week old if I should worry about this and she said that it is rare for a kid to die from SIDS when he's breast-fed and lives in a non-smoking environment. This totally put my mind at ease about the whole thing.

Hope this helps you too!

I don't know that I have any advice for you, but I had the same experience. My son started doing the same thing at about 6 months and I tried everything to get him to sleep/stay on his back. I worried at first and stopped swaddling him of course. After monitoring him for several nights, I found that when on his stomach, he kept his nose and mouth clear of the mattress. Now at 8 months when I put him to bed he promptly turns over on his stomach and sleeps peacefully through the night. Hope that helps.

E., it's okay....you probably slept your whole infant life on your stomach. She's old enough to roll over, you can't turn back time. God willing she'll be fine, so don't sweat it.