Tummy sleeping?

[scrappin-mama]

Has anyone put their newborn on their tummy at night? I'm at my wits end with ds (3 1/2 weeks) and I'm seriously considering it, but I'm just worried about doing it because it's been drilled into me that babies should sleep on their backs. He's having terrible reflux and it's worse at night. I woke up no less than 10 or 12 times last night to him choking on spit-up. It's terrifying and not good for him or for my emotional well-being. :) He sleeps in a crib next to the bed most of the time. We've done back sleeping, elevating the head of his mattress, sleeping in an elevated infant rocker, swaddled and sleeping with us, and nothing is helping. I always put him on his tummy for daytime naps since I'm awake and can watch/listen all the time, and he sleeps wonderfully. No fussing, no gas, no spitting up. Sometimes it's the only way to calm him down when his tummy is bothering him.

I'm probably here more for venting than for advice LOL. Just wondering if anyone has done tummy sleeping and how did it go. :)

Thanks!

[scrappin-mama]

Oh I forgot to add that he has been able to lift and turn his head since the first week, so that's not as much of a concern.

[staceychev]

I did it. She sleeps right next to me, so I was able to keep an eye on her. 

[kblackstone444]

Perhaps somebody else can give you a better answer, but since I'm due literally any day now, I've been doing alot of reading up on newborn/young infant care, and I'm pretty sure I read somewhere something along the lines of back sleeping is preferred, but some doctors actually do recommend putting a baby with severe reflux to sleep on their stomach?

[AutumnAir]

Yes.  Both of mine had/have pretty bad reflux - mostly silent though.  Tummy sleeping is not the cure all that I had hoped, but it does seem to help them to sleep more comfortably, and a bit longer (than 10-20 minutes at a go!).  I am currently using it in combination with elevating the cot and a cot wedge with DD2.  I also felt that with the constant spitting up (more DD1 than DD2) that the risk of aspiration was higher than any risk of tummy sleeping, particularly since both my girls have had good head control from birth.  Though I have to say, I still get nervous sometimes - there's just so much made of babies *having* to sleep on their backs.

[osker]

E sleeps on her tummy and has since day 1. We got one of those Angelcare movement monitors and switch it on every time she lays down. We feel good about it, she sleeps like a dream, and ours is a happy house!

--oh, and as an added bonus, she's pretty physically advanced from all that tummy time. She rolled over and was sitting up at 12 weeks. She's about to start crawling and she just turned 5 months.

[whozeyermamma]

This DS has tummy slept since day 1 too. For the first few months he slept only on my chest while I reclined on the couch - then we moved him to his tummy in his moses basket for naps and our regular bed at night. At nights, he's slept on his tummy on our bed - I removed the fitted sheet because I didn't want it to get scrunched up near his mouth. So basically I'm violating 3 major rules - tummy sleep, on our regular mattress AND in our bed.

I totally understand your fear - I still worry a little now and then and mine is 6 mo and practically crawling. I will say that mine still gets up every two hours so I'm not sure that it's a miracle cure for us - but he sleeps better this way than on his back.

[babydanielsmom]

Ds2 sleeps on his tummy or side all the time . we have an Angel Care baby monitor that we use at night even though he's right next to us. that thing has allowed me not to worry so much that he's not sleeping in the position that he's "suppose" to

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

 Lila's almost 4mo and she's been belly sleeping for almost forever! She sleeps sooo much better than when I tried to put her on her back or side.  She would startle and wake herself up! I say go with your gut. 

[scrappin-mama]

Thanks mamas! We tried it last night and he didn't get choked once. :)

[sk8boarder15]

I've been considering letting ds sleep on his tummy too... he does not have refulx.. he just WONT stay asleep on his back. He normally side lies next to me. But I'm REALLY wanting my space back! And he will sleep on his own on his tummy pretty well. I just can shake that fear of SIDS. After doing a lot of research I've come to the conclusion that he's VERY low risk for SIDS otherwise... I'm still uncomfortable with it. He loves co-sleeping. I HATE it! We have a sidecarred crib that he slept wonderfully in the 1st month... thats it. I'm hoping to get him back to sleeping in it, but I think the only way I can is to put him on his tummy.... I'm so torn!