Daughter is a belly-sleeper...now I am scared...?

Question

I am full of questions today....
My 3 month old will only sleep on her belly. She has a milk protein allergy that caused severe gassiness and colic till about 8 weeks (nutramigen helped but still had the colic) Per her Dr. we let her sleep on her belly after she could move her head from side to side by herself. It relieved the belly pressure and she would pass gas happily in her sleep (even burp!) She has slept next to me for 3 months and I can hear every little move she makes, and I haven't been paranoid, but she is getting ready to move to crib away from me. I have tried to have her fall asleep on back, even nap, and no way. If I flip her over she is out like a light. Should I be scared to have her tummy sleep w/ out supervision? Should I wait to move her to crib till she can roll over herself? She can pick her head up on belly now, but not roll. She is becoming very uncomfortable in her bassinett/pack and play due to her size,anyone else have belly sleepers? Dont yell @ me

Karen,
she is a reflux baby too =(
we are on zantac and she HATES the taste.

Answer 1

My son has been a belly sleeper since he was an infant - he is also a reflux baby with MSPI (he is on Nutramegin and Prevacid 15mg 2x daily). We also co-slept, because I was so worried about him at night (we had a hard-walled sleep nest for the center of our bed for him).

Our doctor also indicated that reflux babies are often most comfy on their bellies. My son was never able to sleep any other way - he would startle awake. Plus, it is safer for reflux babies to be on their bellies because when they spit up in their sleep (unavoidable on occasion), it comes up and out, rather than posing an asphixiation danger.

We transitioned my son to his crib at 2.25 months. He started to squirm out of his sleep nest. Once he was mobile, we felt more comfortable with him on his own (though we have a video and audio monitor on his crib.

Good luck with her transition!

Here is a resource for you for additional support: http://infantreflux.org

Answer 2

I can tell you that anytime you've co slept or had the baby in the room moving them to the crib the first time is horrible! It took me several tries. But my room isn't fair from hers and I keep both doors open, believe it not I eventually tuned into her. I can't hear her breathing like before but I do hear every other sound. Just so you know some of your anxiety is due to the move and not just her condition. So long as she can move her head she should be ok. My daughter has been a belly sleeper since she could roll over.

Answer 3

My son has always only ever slept on his belly since birth. He could roll over both ways from birth, and lift his head. Actually the moment he was born he lifted his head and looked around the room.

Anyway, sids related deaths due to sleeping on the belly has been found in just about all cases to be caused by and under development of the base of the brain. It causes a baby to not search for air when theyre sleeping, or in extreme cases to stop breathing.

As is it, youve seen your daughter search for air, and know she can turn her head on her own.

I honestly wouldnt worry about it. She's strong and obviously healthy. My concern would be if she were early, as most systems are under developed before 37 weeks, including the defect at the base of the brain that causes SID.

Answer 4

Hey, my son ONLY would sleep on his belly from the first day we brought him home, so he slept on my chest until he had good control of his head and could raise it up and down. He has always slept that way, he will be 2 in march and he perfectly fine. As long as she can move her head by herself she should be fine. I was in the same boat as you he is the same way he has NEVER slept on his back, he was in his own room in the crib sleeping on his belly at 4 months, I did have the monitor turned up so loud I could hear him Breathe though.

Answer 5

From day 3, our son REFUSED to sleep on his back. We tried everything to get him off his tummy, but had no choice.

My hubby & I were a wreck considering the "back to sleep" SIDS campaign and this was the only thing that eased our minds:
http://www.prevent-sids.org/babesafe-mattress-covers.htm

No one knows the true cause of SIDS, but after reading all the info on that sight, we went with the babe safe cover and felt good about it. We ended up co-sleeping anyway, but we slept better thinking he was safe in his crib with the cover.
Good Luck with the transistion to the crib.

Answer 6

Go buy one of those Sleep Positioner things. Thats what I did, My baby started sleeping on her tummy at 2 months and thats what our pediatrician recommended. I was nervous because you are supposed to put anything in the crib with a baby, but she said the risks of that are minimal versus the risks of her sleeping on her belly.

The one we got had air circulation so I felt a lot better about it. She stopped wanting to sleep on her tummy until she was about 5 months old, which at that time was "ok" to let her. At 9 months she sleeps on her tummy or snuggled on top of her pooh bear :)

Answer 7

As long as you proceed with caution, I think it is fine to move her to her crib. Don't put blankets in the crib. Use tight fighting crib sheets. My daughter started of as a belly sleeper in her bassinet. We moved her to her crib when she was about 6 weeks old. We never had any problems with her sleeping on her belly. If you think about it your mother probably slept you on your belly and you turned out fine (I know I was a belly sleeper).

Answer 8

Both my kids were belly sleepers. No reason to panic here at all. Just make sure that in her crib that the sheets are nice and tightly tucked so that when she moves her head around she won't scrunch up the sheet in her face. I also put warm sleepers on them so that the blanket I used was nice and light as not to worry when their little heads got covered. Actually my mom gave me the advice to put them on their belly because she said if they spit on at night, they won't choke on their own vomit, sorry sounds gross and scary but I believe it to be true. So my kids became belly sleepers through my mom's advice to me.

Answer 9

both of my children were belly sleepers. If there is room in your room for her crib, put her crib next to your bed and that might help some with you anxiety of hearing her. I could not do this but i put the moniter in her bed right next to her face. Also, if she uses a paci, it will give her a little extra breathing room!
Good luck!

Answer 10

both of mine were ...and still are belly sleepers ...get you a good baby monitor....i think she will be fine...but if you don't get her used to sleeping in a crib/bed away from you...she will only want to sleep in the bed with you as she gets older...but she is your child and the decision is yours. Best of luck.