Sleep Position

S. you're a great mommy for worrying about your son's safety. Unfortunately he's going to roll over now and probably sleep longer since sleeping on your back all night isn't too comfy. Now that he can roll over he's going to be okay. Just pray for him each night you put him to bed and trust that God will watch over him. I'm the worst at worrying. I didn't even let him have a blanket with him until he was 10 months old. If it makes you feel better to set an alarm every hour to check on him for a week to give you reassurance that he'll be okay, then do it. I wouldn't wake him up to roll him back over especially if you are lucky enough to have a baby that will sleep all night! Just do something to help YOU know that he'll be okay sleeping on his tummy or side or whatever way he decides is comfy for him. Heck, sometimes I go in and my son is sticking out of the crib with every limb but there's no way I'm going to move him once he's alseep- then no one will sleep that night! Good luck!

My son would not sleep on his back, his side, or on one of those sleep positioner things. The only thing that ever worked for him was he would sleep in a swing or his bouncy chair. I would take him on little drives and he would fall asleep in his car seat. The only good way I ever got him to really go to sleep in his crib was by putting him on his tummy. I was scared at first because of the SIDS possibility but his pediatrician was the one that suggested it because he would spit up alot in his sleep. Once I started putting him on his tummy, he started sleeping all night long. That would be my only suggestion.

Relax! If he can roll over, he'll be fine. In fact, he's in MORE danger with the tucker sling, sleep positioner, etc. because of his mobility -- he could get tangled in those things. Dress him in warm PJs and make sure there's nothing else in the crib with him. Take off the bumper pads if you're really worried, and let him sleep however he wants. You'll quit worrying after about 2 or 3 nights. :-)

If he is able to roll over from back to tummy and vice versa, he will be ok. Once my daughter learned how to roll over she always went to sleep on her tummy. If he isn't rolling over yet then I think you probably should try the miracle blanket as Kay suggested and see if that keeps him on his back.

S., I think him sleeping on his tummy is fine. I believe you have it backwards, according to your post. Babies should always sleep on their backs. You've probably heard the term "Back to sleep" to remind new parents that infants should always be on their backs. Since he is six months and can move his head, like you said, sleeping on his tummy is fine...NOW. If he has been doing it since he was an infant, then that's when you should HAVE been worrying. But not so much now. He's past the SIDS danger period (statisically speaking) so I wouldn't worry too much.

Is your dc able to roll over, etc if you put him on his back and stomach? If so, he should be ok. If you're worried, ask your ped but usually by this age they will roll over, etc in their sleep. I found this on Dr Sear's website and it might help:

It's been proven that placing an infant to sleep on her back lowers the child's risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). In countries where there have been "Back to Sleep" campaigns advising parents to place their infants on their backs at bedtime, SIDS rates have fallen 30 to 50 percent.

Yet, remember that this is only a statistical correlation. It does not mean that if your baby sleeps on her tummy she's going to die of SIDS. Current SIDS rates are around one in a thousand babies; meaning that there's a 99.9 percent chance your child will remain a healthy little girl regardless of her sleep position. And while the cause of SIDS is still unknown, there is strong evidence that it is the result of an at-risk baby having an immature breathing- regulating system that fails to restart the breathing process when the baby is in a deep sleep. In fact, many SIDS researchers believe that a baby will naturally assume the sleep position that allows them to breathe more comfortably during the night. If your baby habitually flips over onto her tummy after you put her down to sleep on her back this may be the right sleeping position for her. If you want to be completely safe, however, you might want to try staying with your baby until she falls asleep; then turn her onto her back when she's in a deep sleep.

S.,

sounds like a common dilemna and I applaud you for looking for safe resolutions. So many moms just give in, even at 2-3 weeks of age and let them sleep on the tummy.

Try the Miracle Blanket. It swaddles tightly enough that it is hard to roll over, many babies feel secure with the gentle pressure it puts on the tummy that they lose the need for the security of tummy sleeping.

K. W
The Nesting Place

Hi S., I know exactly how you feel. Both of my kids are tummy sleepers. I used a positioner for both of them before they could roll over, but after that point, I tried different things to get them to stay on their backs, but nothing really helped. With my daughter, I would get up several times a night to check on her. My sleep has been all out of whack ever since. But, I will say the one thing that keeps me sane with my second child is the Angel Care Bebe Sounds monitor. It can sense the slightest movement so if my son were to stop breathing for more than 20 seconds, the alarm would go off. I tell you what. It was $100 at Babies 'r us, but it was the best $100 I ever spent for the peace of mind. He gets a good night's rest on his tummy and I get a good night's rest not having to worry about SIDS. I cannot tell you how much I wish I had used that for my first child as well. And by the way, I saw that someone posted that your child is out of the danger zone in terms of SIDS. I've read SIDS can occur in children up to 6 years of age. Not to worry you further. But just want to say I can relate and I hope you find a way to put your worries at ease. The Angel Care Monitor did it for me. Good luck!