Newborn sleeps SO well! (On tummy ONLY!) What to do? - Page 2

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot 

Even my pediatrician says that it's normal for all mammals to sleep on their bellies.  It's natural.  

Most other mammals are not bipedal though, and would need to be on their stomachs to be able to get up and flee from predators easily.

Just imagine a human newborn being placed on its front on dirt or rock, in a cave.  That's NOT natural, and it's not instinctual.  We have the luxury of that option because of comfy, clean mattresses - but biology doesn't know this and it is riskier to place an infant on its stomach to sleep than on its back or in a parent's arms.

Edited by Bokonon - 6/20/11 at 11:46am

[Dot-to-Dot]

That makes sense, that's a good point.  So why do so many babies seem most comfortable on the bellies?  Especially with all the digestive stuff a baby has going on as their body is just learning how to operate during the 4th trimester, it seems like being on their belly would be soothing whether born modern day or thousands of years ago.  I can't see cave women only holding the babies all the time...but then again, maybe they put them down and didn't care if they were crying?

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot 

That makes sense, that's a good point.  So why do so many babies seem most comfortable on the bellies?  Especially with all the digestive stuff a baby has going on as their body is just learning how to operate during the 4th trimester, it seems like being on their belly would be soothing whether born modern day or thousands of years ago.  I can't see cave women only holding the babies all the time...but then again, maybe they put them down and didn't care if they were crying?

No, they would likely have worn them.  From an evolutionary sense, it's not a good thing to have a baby crying, because it alerts predators to a snack's location.

I would assume that the most likely scenario would be a new mother cradling the baby in her arm all night, which is less convenient for the mother but more developmentally appropriate for the newborn.

[macy]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot 

Yeah, I came across that in my search a few days ago.  But for every site that something like this, there is another site that says something like, "99.9%" of babies placed on their stomach wake up just fine.  That's not an exact quote but it's from Dr. Sears.

I simply can't figure out if SIDS is rare or not!  And even then, you don't know if the statistic is based on a population of tummy sleepers or back sleepers.  I simply don't feel convinced of either point of view yet.  Still pretty torn.

What difference does it make how rare it is? I think most of us know someone who has lost a child to SIDS. I can think of 4 who I know. I know you will do what you want but I hope you at least realize that monitor has not been shown to reduce SIDS.

Here's a useful peer-reviewed review article you can read instead of a website, if you are having trouble finding a reliable source: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/5/1245.long

[Dot-to-Dot]

Well the difference it makes determines the risk you're willing to take.  Like, it's rare that my children and I will be hit by a drunk driver  and die while driving around today....it could happen and I know people it's happened to...but we'll still drive around today despite the rare risk of death.  The more common it is, I suppose the less likely I'd risk driving every single day. 

I certainly don't think the monitor would prevent or reduce SIDS.  I know it has zero effect on the actual child and her vitality and that it is strictly for the parents.

[Dot-to-Dot]

P.S.  With my dd1 I insisted she slept either with me (in which I case I could never sleep) or on her back in which case she did not sleep more than 15 or 20 minutes.  Not only did she walk the earth with red rimmed eyes completely exhausted, but so did I.  While driving one day, I noticed that I'd crossed the center line.  So sleep deprived that I could notsafely function enough to go to the grocery store to buy food for our family.  This was at 6 months old mind you and so our stream of help had gone.  We didn't have anyone who'd be able to run all of our errands for us for a year straight due to my sleep deprivation.

So the rarity of SIDS versus the chance of me crashing head on into another car since I hadn't slept in weeks would be of importance when considering what to do.

[MsDolphin]

Only you and your DH can decide if you are willing to risk the tummy-sleeping.

For myself, as a new mommy - I try to follow all the "rules", but my DS is a tummy-sleeper. He has been from an early age (DH started putting him on his tummy, cause he slept better in that position).

[deni bronson]

My twins only sleep on their tummies as well, they have been doing it since 4 days old. They do turn their heads on their own and now at 8 weeks have been rolling from back to side since about 4 weeks. I went out and bought one of those playpens that have the attachment that sits higher up like a travel crib. The mattress is flat, not like a typical mattress they could easily suffocate on to be able to trust they will be safe at night. I did sleep with them the first week or so, and usually start them off on their side and let them complete the roll to their tummies now that they can do it. They sleep 4-6 hours most nights(when they don't have gas). Try playing soothing music, my girls love Indie Rock like me, but you can try anything from classical to jazz or r&b or whatever you prefer. My girls sleep at least 2 hours on their backs when playing music. Pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS I've heard as well as the fact that boys are higher risk of SIDS than girls.

[Fulhouse]

My baby sleeps on her side and tummy.  I am not very concerned since she is #4 and the others preferred it too.  The only case of SIDS I know happened to a baby who was sleeping at his day care's home in his stroller, on his back, slightly reclined.

[LamisDove]

My dd, now 10, slept on her tummy a lot. But I could rarely leave the room with her. She was that sensitive and needy (or attached, to be less judgmental). So I was always close by to monitor her. I'm pregnant again, and when this one comes, we're gonna try a hammock. Looks more comfy than laying on a flat surface. I can't sleep on my back (unless I'm in a hammock), so I don't see how I can expect a baby to.

[Baby_Cakes]

I think the whole cave argument is moot.  No one was setting a baby down on a cave floor on his back.  There was a group of people taking care of, holding, and wearing those infants, most likely.

DD was a true tummy or side sleeper, but we coslept/bedshared.  I would occasionally put her on her tummy for a nap, but usually not.  Usually on her side.  I worried a bit b/c that's what we all do, but deep down I knew she'd be ok.  

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot 

Yep, we swaddle.  She fights it.  We hang in there and do the S's (Ssh'ing, swaying, something to suck on, etc).  She eventually will succumb to the swaddle and even fall asleep after some time (takes awhile though).  I lay her down asleep and swaddled on her back and ALWAYS she wakes up about 20 minute later and is VERY upset to be restricted.  The whole process takes a couple hours and then it's often time to eat again and change her diaper.  It doesn't seem worth the effort.  But at two weeks we haven't given up on the swaddling just yet.

This was us last spring, and my baby was quickly a tummy sleeper and still is. We started around 4 weeks, she could turn her head.  I felt the risks of SIDS was significantly mitigated by other factors and was not worried about it.

[azhie]

My dd is 5 months old now, and she's always been a tummy or side sleeper. She doesn't sleep as well on her back-- she always woke herself up when she flails her arms. When she was newborn, we sleep with her on my chest until she's really sound asleep before placing her beside me on her back. I did this because I was nervous about SIDS. When she learned to turn her belly or side, she hardly ever slept on her back anymore. 

Many of my relatives told me it was okay for babies to sleep on their tummies (they don't know much about SIDS) because they slept better. 

[azhie]

My dd is 5 months old now, and she's always been a tummy or side sleeper. She doesn't sleep as well on her back-- she always woke herself up when she flails her arms. When she was newborn, we sleep with her on my chest until she's really sound asleep before placing her beside me on her back. I did this because I was nervous about SIDS. When she learned to turn her belly or side, she hardly ever slept on her back anymore. 

Many of my relatives told me it was okay for babies to sleep on their tummies (they don't know much about SIDS) because they slept better.