When can you put a baby to sleep on its stomach?

I have heard that they sleep better that way.

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:09 pm Post subject:

Officially? When they can lift their head. Unofficially? Up to you. My LC told me that professionally she had to tell me to put DS#2 to sleep on his back, but she also knows the value of actually getting some sleep, so her recommendation was to eliminate every other risk as much as possible and let him sleep on his tummy.
_________________
Emmanuel Tzvi: 26 Shevat 5766
Shai Michael: 8 Cheshvan 5768
Yitzchak Meir: 19 Iyar 5770
Dvir Aharon: 10 Tammuz 5772

Every 2, 3, 5, 10 years there is another theory about how to put a baby...
_________________

"You will have many many children and make successful shidduchim beh", rebbetzin Esther Jungreis
"It's all cultural, disagree respectfully", me

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:12 pm Post subject:

I let Avraham Tzvi sleep on his tummy from about 2 weeks on, it was just clear he was *not* going to sleep on his back. It made me very nervous until he was rolling, but like Marion said I eliminated every other risk and davened to do the best I could. B"H he's fine.
_________________
Lucky Mom to 5
Nechama & Rena 21 Sh'vat, 5764; Rivka 5 Tamuz 5765; Avraham Tzvi 11 Adar I, 5768
"1 in 100" miracle baby Eliezer Yosef, 13 Menacham Av 5772 (TAPVR, now repaired B"H)

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:19 pm Post subject:

I put DD to sleep on her stomach from the day she left the NICU (4 weeks before her due date) since she spit up all the time. I was more afraid of her aspirating spit-up than of SIDS.

She was sleeping in our bed and a bassinet next to our bed, however.

Star Havah

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:20 pm Post subject:

Why is it that we should not put babies to sleep on their tummies? I have always kept my baby on her back, unless for "tummy time," because that is what I was told to do, but no one ever told me why.

Platinum Member Joined: May 13 2007 Posts: 8153

I thought that it was officially for the whole first year, but unofficially from when they can roll over if needed.

That said, I sometimes let DD sleep on her stomach if I am in the room (or going in and out).

My DS #2 wouldn't sleep flat on his back, but he would sleep in a bouncy seat. So that is where he slept every night.

There was a study done is Europe that kids who sleep on their stomache have higher chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But with all said and done my kids have hard time sleeping on their backs and since they have pretty good head control early on, I let them sleep on the stomache but check on them quite often. With my first one, I called number of friends and Rebbitzens to find out if I can do that. I was quite nervous and still am.

When dd was a newborn, I used to lay down and have her nurse on me tummy to tummy. That's the only way any of us slept at night. I'm not saying that I get the best sleep (I'm an extremely light sleeper), but technically she was on her stomach- but I was right there.

I always put her on her back when she was in the packnplay. But then she started turning over at 2 months. So then she always flipped her to stomach anyway...

I put my babies on their stomach right away, I just can't get them to sleep well on their backs. Make sure the matrass is nice and firm, no teddies or pillows around the head. They definitely sleep better on their tummy.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 16895

Shimi was a preemie with poor head control so I was afraid to let him sleep on his tummy. he slept on his side. When he began to roll over at six months he preferred to sleep on his tummy so it was safe. mendy is BH full term with great head control so he's been sleeping on his tummy since 2 weeks of age.

I wouldnt put a preemie on his tummy until he can roll over or has great head control. But during daytime naps when I was able to keep an eye on him I did let him sleep on the stomach.
_________________
http://www.autism-parenting.com

Diamond Member Joined: May 26 2008 Posts: 2613

Does everyone know that rates of sids went down at least 50% after the Back to
Sleep program(I can't think of the right word right now grr)

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18282

What about infant mortality? Perhaps they have better diagnostics than "sudden infant death we can't figure out what to attribute it to"?
Either way, once they roll over there is nothing you can do about it. My 5.5 week old sleeps on her stomach most of the time already. And she's rolling over from stomach to back (I hesitated to say this a couple weeks ago since I thought the times she did it were accidental, but I watched her do it twice on Sunday on firm ground...no accident). She picks up her head very high. I breastfeed, sleep with her, don't smoke, and have given up trying to worry about things I can't really help. Sleep is an important health and safety measure in and of itself, both for mommy and baby.
_________________
http://a-natural-birth.com
Let me know privately what you would like to see on this; I'm still working on it Smile

Complimentary ad for being a mod

Platinum Member Joined: May 22 2005 Posts: 13795

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12057

I was completely paranoid about putting my kids to sleep on their stomach. both of them had reflux & could not sleep on their back at all. so they slept in the car seat, swing, on my chest, until I couldn't take it anymore & I called my ped. she told me to put them to sleep on their stomachs& either use a sleep sack or tuck the blanket in the mattress.

Platinum Member Joined: May 22 2005 Posts: 13795

I've had the same problem and noticeably did not have it with my tummy sleepers. "Reflux" diagnoses have risen noticeably with the advent of the Back to Sleep campaign.

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 5:00 pm Post subject:

Platinum Member Joined: May 22 2005 Posts: 13795

I read an article that says the claim that there have been no sids deaths in wrapped mattresses is not true.

I read that some babies are more predisposed towards SIDS. But you don't know if your baby has this pre-disposition- so to be on the safe side everyone should do "back to sleep."

Posted: Thu, Sep 04 2008, 6:27 pm Post subject:

I know that. Babies that sleep on thier stomach sleep for a longer amount of time. If it's nap time and you can watch while the baby sleeps then you can put him to sleep on his stomach. Also once they reach a certain age where they can turn from back to belly and back you can start the tummy sleeping position if you want. Make sure there are no blankets or loose sheets in the crib.
_________________
Sunday social program forming in Brooklyn for children with social delays. Pm me for more info
~complimentary ad for being a mod