Age old question - Tummy or back for a baby to sleep?

Question

My four month old would never sleep on his back. Switched him to his tummy and found out he sleeps! Realize the association with SIDS...but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. My parents had both of us sleep on our tummies...anyone else?

Answer 1

my daughter is two months old. i put her on her back but put a rolled up towel to wedge her up on her side a bit. everynight i switch sides so that she does not get a flat head. i have seen a couple of babies with flat heads and I don't want her to develop one...

Answer 2

Wow first off I want to say ultimately it is your child's decision on the position he wants to sleep in. My daughter is a tummy sleeper and we do just fine. Second I see a lot of people talking about gambling with your child's life by a risk factor of SIDS. Well it is not only the sleeping position that contributes to SIDS. The temperature in the room, whether the child has a pacifier at night, if the child was a preemie or not. There are so many contributing factors to SIDS it is not even funny. And the kicker of it all is doctors still can not pin point down one single factor that causes SIDS. It is a unexplainable tragedy that happens to infants. I am just so sick and tired of people telling me that I am doing the wrong thing by placing a child on there belly. But if you are concerned and this is the only way your son will sleep then there are products out there that will help ease your mind. The one that I have found that is the most efficient one is a motion pad. It is the same thing that is used in most of the NICU around the country (which may I add thy place babies on there bellies in a balled fetal position). It measure motion of breathing every eight seconds and if none is detect it sets off an alarm for you and for the baby. Most baby do have some form of sleep apnea when they are under a year old and what the alarm does is wake them up to breath and lets you know what is going on.

Answer 3

First off positioning has nothing to do with why a baby suddenly stops breathing. Suffocation is not SIDS so a baby that dies on its tummy because it was face down in the crib or because of a blanket is not SIDS it is suffocation, not the same thing. They have changed the way they rule a SIDS death and suffocation is suffocation it is no longer considered SIDS. My daughter was on her back and still died of SIDS. I joined a SIDS group shortly after she died and guess what....most of the mothers in my group have also stated that their babies were on their backs, sides, in strollers, swings, etc. There were only a couple on their tummy. If a baby dies on its tummy and it was not suffocation then yeah it was probably SIDS but that baby would have died in any position just like my daughter did. A sudden cesation of breathing has nothing to do with positioning or there would be no babies at all dying other than in just one position. People are so hell bent on this back to sleep stuff that they follow it so cautiously along with everything else they have come up with and then like me their baby dies and they are left saying but I did everything I was supposed to. It doesn't matter what you do. Whatever is causing these babies to stop breathing is beyond our control as parents. It is something you have no control over and if it's going to happen it's going to happen. Your daughter should just enjoy her baby, as should you, and not let this overwhelm you. I've had two more and both of them slept in whatever position they wanted, usually on their stomach, and they are both fine. SIDS has been known to happen up until 1 year but the risk decreases after six months. I know three people in my SIDS group that lost their babies at 10 month and two at 12 months. There are also 2 that lost their baby to SIDS while their baby was awake so it doesn't even have to happen while they are sleeping. SIDS has not decreased because babies are sleeping on their backs it decreased because they have changed the parameters for how they determine a SIDS death. Between 2004 and 2006 in my area alone the SIDS rate tripled, and being in my area I of course got all info I could and guess what...none of thos babies were on their tummy.

Answer 4

I tried and tried putting mine on her back...did NOT work. Finally put her on her tummy and she slept great. Still does at almost six months old. Of course I was borderline obsessed and checked her a thousand times a day, and a thousand more a night...she's done fine. I just don't put anything in bed with her - absolutely NO pillow, blanket, stuffed animal, nothing.
She's actually got an extremely strong neck and has always held her head very well, since birth.
She has a wonderful pediatrician who in the beginning said put her on her back or side, never on her stomach. But he has not mentioned it since, and we've seen him plenty. Sometimes I think they are obligated to say that to you. If I tell him I put her on her stomach, he says nothing at all...I know someone who works in his office, and she put her own baby on her stomach. She told all the docs in the office this, and again nothing.
The only time I'd be concerned/try on his back or side is if he's sick or weak or his neck/head strength is compromised in any way. I say do what works!

Answer 5

Of course babies can live when on their stomaches. However, do you really want to gamble with your child's life?

The incidents of SIDS has decreased by more than 50 percent since "back to sleep" became the rule. While some of that can be attributed to other factors, are you REALLY willing to put your child in any situation where they are THAT much less likely to die?

Stick with the back to sleep.

OK, but the AGE of the child matters. If the child has the ability to roll-over or push-up, then tummy-sleeping may be fine. A child that cannot have the consistent physical ability to move themselves is a SIDS risk.

My suggestion: put the child to bed on his back. If he rolls himself to his tummy, then don't mess with it. If he can't, then let him be.

Do NOT let people tell you that tummy-sleeping is safe because, hey, they (or you) are alive. There are lots of people that have come back from war alive. Does that mean that war is safe?

Answer 6

Do what works. The opinion is really cultural habit. Some cultures say back, some say tummy. Just make sure there is nothing the baby can smother on. Might be a dumb question but why doesn't anyone put a baby to sleep on its side? Do they not stay there?

Answer 7

Back is better, its can reduce the chance of SIDS. But your right , some babies wont sleep on their back. Obviously there is a whole generation of people we slept on their tummies, and mae it out ok. But if that is truley the only way he will sleep just make sure to keep a VERY close eye on him. Time has taught us a lot so dont ignore that, Good luck!

Answer 8

There is a link between babies sleeping on their tummies and SIDS. Obviously not every baby sleeping on its tummy dies but to dismiss the evidence because not all babies do is rather irresponsible. It is safer for the baby to sleep on its back. The bottom line is it is your decision but be aware that your baby is more likely to suffer from SIDS if s/he sleeps on its tummy. That was a risk I was not prepared to take.

Answer 9

each cellular has DNA and that's consisted of two strands tightly woven around one yet another. the element that stops the two strands from breaking aside is termed a telomeric cap (that is random nucleotide sequences called nonsense codons. Codon is a three series of nucleotides that codes for amino acids eg. CUU is a amino acid called proline . A nonsense codon is one that doesnt code for any amino acid production) each and every time your cells divide a small series is lost there via reducing the stability of the cellular's DNA (in layman's words). this might at last lead do maximum of Ur cells' DNA turning out to be volatile. and generally while a mistake occurs in DNA the cellular will carry out automobile cytolysis (cellular suicide) to evade problems. So once you're previous maximum of ur cells telomeric caps would be low and that they are services to die while they warfare to divide.. Whats particularly exciting approximately this theory is the effect it has on evolution (because of the fact this occurs on the two meiotic besides as mitotic divisions. this ability that a species grows previous too until now it mutates.. yet thats a distinctive tale)

Answer 10

You know what, I am living proof that a baby can sleep on his/her stomach and still live. When I was young, I couldn't sleep on my back - still can't today. My mother tried placing me on my back however I would roll so that I could sleep on my stomach. I believe she even tried to place pillows around me so that I couldn't roll. Nothing would work - it worried her since it wasn't "ok" in that age to think of a baby sleeping on the stomach. I think if your baby sleeps better on the stomach, let him! I have attached a link that should help out with this question also. It seems to be a question on a lot of other great parents. Good Luck with the new baby!

Answer 11

my nine month old has always been a tummy sleeper. We have never put bumpers in the crib. Our daughter likes to have her face right by the bars when she sleeps. As long as they can move their head from side to side when they sleep and it works, you do what you gotta do!