Do you believe newborn tummy sleeping produces SIDS?

[Shami]

I don't know how to create a poll, but this is my question. My friend has a new baby who screams a long time on her back so she put her on her tummy and she is out like a light, and fast, too. Of course, she is getting all kinds of opinions from friends and family and it is really stressing her out. I didn't give my opinion because I don't have one. I just think you do whatever you need to for survival in those early stages of mommyhood.

Mine didn't sleep well alone and on her back, which is why I started cosleeping. It never occurred to me to try her on her tummy. Now I am pregnant again and wondering how my new baby will be in the sleep department.

Do you hold any stock in the tummy sleeping equals SIDS fear? Are there statistics that prove the 'Back to sleep camplagn' prevented SIDS?

My husband's family, who is from Sri Lanka, didn't even know what SIDS is because they don't have babies passing away in their sleep in their country.

[treeoflife3]

I think there are a lot of things that lead to SIDS and the lines will blur between them to make it hard to know what caused it.

Personally, I don't think sleeping on tummy in itself is a true risk.  I think sleeping on tummy on a toxic mattress is a risk, I think sleeping on tummy in a room with no air circulation and therefor rebreathing exhaled air is a risk, I think being allowed to sleep too long too soon while on tummy is a risk, I think sleeping on tummy in a room alone (no supervision) with an ability to move head just enough to be face down but not enough to get out of that position is a risk... but I think it all comes down to the factors combined with being on tummy.

My kiddo slept on her tummy some.  Co sleeping just was NOT working for us and she wouldn't sleep on her back.  I NEEDED sleep if I wanted to care for her so it came down to either ignoring my need for sleep and risking other baby dangers or having her sleep on her tummy some of the time so I could rest.

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

My understanding is that for crib-sleeping babies, yes, following the Back-to-Sleep campaign, SIDS deaths did drop quite a bit. At least that's what the pamphlets I received all said. I too think there are probably confounding factors - I suspect that stomach-sleeping puts little babies into a deeper sleep where it is more difficult to rouse themselves. Without being close to a parent to regulate their breathing, that probably could spell disaster for a baby that had other risk factors for SIDS. Based on everything I read, if my baby slept in a crib, I would put him on his back.

Neither of my children ever stomach-slept when they were tiny, however - they both preferred being snuggled on their sides next to me.

[LiLStar]

I saw a study somewhere (I'll see if I can dig it up) where they hooked babies up to monitors and placed them on their tummy with their face down and nose/mouth specifically placed so that they were directly above a little cut out in the mattress they made so that they would deliberately be rebreathing. They tested whether the babies would turn their head for fresh air once their oxygen levels dropped. What they found was that the babies whose parents NEVER placed them on their tummies so never had "practice" would not turn their head. Babies who spent time on their tummies and slept on their tummies sometimes would turn their heads. The conclusion I get from that is basically.. make sure my babies get some supervised tummy time, both awake and asleep, so they get "practice" :) I DO let my babies sleep on their tummies once they've developed the muscle tone to do a baby push up. Which for both of mine was about 2 weeks. Making sure to get some supervised tummy time (awake and asleep) is a good idea, in my opinion (from what I saw in the study) regardless if the parents are comfortable letting them tummy sleep on any regular basis. Because sometimes stuff happens, a baby surprises themselves by turning onto their tummies for the first time, whatever. And I definitely don't want to have the baby who, upon rolling over for the first time, has never "practiced" the head turning. There have been times I've watched my babies sleep, and they might press their face right into the mattress. Instinct is to intervene and help turn their head. But I make myself wait and see what happens.. within 20 seconds or so, they always turned their head to the side. 

found it! http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/4416.aspx

[sacredpresence]

I'm curious to know whether your husbands family and people in Sri Lanka usually put babies down on tummies or backs and alone or co sleeping?

[Viola]

I think there are different causes of SIDS, and in the past a lot of suffocation deaths or deaths with actual causes  were blamed on SIDS.  I do believe that putting babies to sleep on their backs did help, especially if some of those were suffocation deaths.  However, what I've read here and there is that the truly unexplained kind of SIDS, where infants just seem to stop breathing for no apparent reason, can happen anywhere.  Some people have lost their children while holding them sleeping in arms.  I don't believe that there are no cases of SIDS in Sri Lanka, although the rate may be low enough that I can believe you might not know anyone who has experienced it.

[APToddlerMama]

I've done quite a bit of research, and do believe that back sleeping does significantly reduce SIDS.  You can go through google-scholar and go through the studies to help you make your decision. 

[MSWmama]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

I've done quite a bit of research, and do believe that back sleeping does significantly reduce SIDS.  You can go through google-scholar and go through the studies to help you make your decision. 

[Amatullah0]

I believe that babies need to choose for themselves which way to sleep. I put my babies on their sides to sleep, and let them roll as they find the need to, they know their needs better than I do. 

I don't believe in SIDS, other than it being a catch-all label to say "I'm sorry, we have no clue why your baby died." It's also not something that I lose sleep over.  

DS chose to sleep on his stomach, and once he discovered my pillow, and could crawl, he would sleep on his stomach on the pillow(his whole body was on the pillow).  A friend's baby died from unexplained causes, as did DH's uncle's baby, those these deaths were both somewhat recent, it doesn't change my beliefs.

I'm sure babies die of unknown cause in Sri Lanka too(DH's uncle live's in pakistan, and they probably care for their babies in similar ways. In Pakistan(and India, and probably Sri Lanka), babies sleep in a flat/hard bottomed swinging bassinet thing or a hanging sling-type swing(made from tying a bedsheet (for naps, anyways). Also, a lot of beds are really hard(thin cotton mattress on a piece of wood), not squishy like the mattresses back in the states. 

[springbride]

With DD she seemed to prefer her tummy, so we would swaddle her and then use to other rolled up receiving blankets to create a wedge that kept her on her side, but slightly inclined towards her tummy.  Obviously, the blankets were away from her face :)  

This worked great for us.  Any other sleep position and she was very restless.  

I think letting your baby scream until they pass out is more likely to be linked with SIDS than how the child likes to sleep.  But hey, that's why I hang out here, not on other boards 

 

 

[savithny]

I think that newborn babies aren't "meant" to sleep deeply for long periods.   They just aren't.  Their nervous systems aren't developed yet (they ahve to be born before they're truly ready, due to the narrowness of the human pelvis since we walk upright).   The first 3 months are often called "teh fourth trimester," and there is a lot of nervous system maturing that happens during that time.

I think there's a lot of support for the theory that babies on their tummies don't rouse themselves as often or easily, and so tend to sleep deeper, to the point that they can stop breathing.   There's also a lot of support for the fact that babies sleeping with (or near) adults will breathe along with the adult, keepign them from going too deep.

So yes, I do believe that tummy sleeping contributes to SIDS and that back sleeping helps prevent it (but obviously does not completely do so; almost nothing in life is 100% either way).   And when cosleeping and nursing, even in a real bed, you're both generally on your side, or you tuck baby into your armpit, face up. 

I also think that "in the wild" our ancestors probably did not put their babies flat on their stomachs very often, if ever.    If you don't have a modern (or even premodern) mattress bed, where exactly would you do that?     Where would be safe and clean?  Imagine putting your newborn face-down on a heap of skins, or a pile of straw or grass or wool.    How does a baby tummy-sleep in a sling?   In a hammock?   On a cradleboard?   

So yes, I think that putting a baby under 3-4 months to sleep on its tummy is probably not biologically appropriate for child development as we now understand it.   Sure, it makes the child sleep more deeply.   But newborns sleeping very long stretches undisturbed is *also* not really appropriate for child development as we now understand it.

[aHikaru]

AE has slept on her belly on my chest since day one, it was the only way she slept.

[mamadiamond]

no study has ever shown a causal link between tummy sleep and sids, only that there seems to be a correlation in babies who already have other risk factors (such as low serotonin levels which make it harder to regulate deep sleep and breathing, or a crib mattress treated with neurotoxic fire retardants, or hidden mold/fungus in the house). i slept on my tummy as an infant, as did all my siblings, and we were all fine. i have a latex sensitivity, and most crib mattresses have latex cores, so just in case my dd is also sensitive i put her on her back the rare times she's in the crib. if she is allergic like me, i want her airways farther from the irritant. but she slept on her tummy on my chest since day one. a healthy baby is fine on the tummy. an at risk baby is in greater risk on the tummy. the trick i guess is knowing if your baby has risk factors. since it's so hard to know, that is why they say no tummy sleep for any baby.

[Youngfrankenstein]

All of my 4 babies slept on their tummies and I'd do it again.  If I had a preemie or weren't breastfeeding, I may have changed what I did with that baby.  I personally don't believe that babies were "designed" not to be able to sleep on their tummies. 

[jeninejessica]

I read a very well written article several years back that suggested the link was what others above have said-- that back to sleep works because you are further from the chemicals and offgassing of the mattress, not because back/front themselves are good or bad. I would feel much more comfortable placing my babe tummy sleeping on a natural or wrapped mattress-- and I think the same goes for our own bed, or sleeping tummy down on your own chest-- she's not breathing in the same chemicals as she would on a storebought mattress. Just a thought. 

[APToddlerMama]

I just want to point out that every adult mattress and baby mattress sold in the US is treated with fire retardants unless you spend a fortune (which actually to me is worth it) and buy your baby a cotton or latex mattress with a wool wrap (natural fire retardant) or get a script for a mattress that doesn't have fire retardants. Even the so called "organic" mattresses are treated with chemicals.  Wool is the only truly natural and chemical free fire retardant that is used on mattresses.   Also, it is impossible to know which babies have low seratonin levels so parents can't use that info when deciding how to sleep their baby.  Though there is no causal link, the correlation between stomach sleeping and SIDS is really significant.  I can't remember the exact number now, but I believe its five of every six babies who dies of SIDS is found sleeping on their stomach. 

Originally Posted by mamadiamond 

no study has ever shown a causal link between tummy sleep and sids, only that there seems to be a correlation in babies who already have other risk factors (such as low serotonin levels which make it harder to regulate deep sleep and breathing, or a crib mattress treated with neurotoxic fire retardants, or hidden mold/fungus in the house).

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

 Though there is no causal link, the correlation between stomach sleeping and SIDS is really significant.  I can't remember the exact number now, but I believe its five of every six babies who dies of SIDS is found sleeping on their stomach. 

I haven't found those studies.  Can you point them out?  I am only "arguing" this because as the OP stated, many moms are afraid to tummy sleep and end up with miserable babies and selves when I just don't know if the data exist to support back sleep to cut the risks.  I have read that smoking and not breastfeeding increases risk and that tummy sleeping is a suspected third "cause". 

[APToddlerMama]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein 

I haven't found those studies.  Can you point them out?  I am only "arguing" this because as the OP stated, many moms are afraid to tummy sleep and end up with miserable babies and selves when I just don't know if the data exist to support back sleep to cut the risks.  I have read that smoking and not breastfeeding increases risk and that tummy sleeping is a suspected third "cause". 

Have you looked? 

Check out google scholar and you will be able to find them.  It has been about three years since I was researching them so I don't have any links handy. 

[APToddlerMama]

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/014067369192917Q 

Here is one.  I don't have time to search for others now.

[ZombieMama]

I don't think that tummy-sleeping causes SIDS, but I do definitely think it can be a contributing factor.