5 month old and tummy sleeping - reassure me, please!

[Taos Mountain Mama]

Our daughter will be 5 months next week, but she's been able to roll from back to tummy for about a month now. In the last couple weeks, she refuses to sleep on her back, but much prefers being on her tummy (pretty much face plant into the mattress, which is what worries me). At first I would try and gently roll her over, only to find her on her tummy again the next time I checked. She starts off the night in our crib and joins us in bed about halfway through the night. She seems to sleep so much better on her tummy! But of course, being the first time mom, it totally stresses me out. Especially because her face is usually buried in her crib mattress, and because she hasn't quite mastered rolling back onto her back FROM her tummy. Do I need to stress about this? How old were your kids when they started tummy sleeping?

[BabySmurf]

Many babies prefer belly sleeping - i think they feel cozier this way.  the biggest trouble with belly sleeping seems to be if LO isn't used to being on their belly, their neck muscles aren't strong enough to move their head and they aren't able to breathe well. (think not enough tummy time and LO accidentally rolling over for the first time).  the consensus seems to be that once babies are able to "choose" which way to sleep, that it's okay for them to belly sleep - once they can consistently roll over, their neck muscles are sufficiently strong enough to control their heads. you really can't spend all of your time flipping LO over!

if you are worried about your DD, i would try to spend some extra tummy time getting her muscles nice and strong, remove the crib bumpers (if you are using them - i like the breathable bumpers since DS migrates), put a fan in her room to maximize air flow, and make sure the room is at an appropriate temp.  (along with the usual no smoking, etc)

if i remember correctly those SIDS studies on tummy sleeping changed more than just the fact that babies were sleeping on their bellies.  

also, when DS was that age, he would always face plant like that.  i watched him a couple of times to see what he would do, and he always moved his head after a couple of seconds.  he grew out of that habit relatively quickly though. 

[BabySmurf]

oh, DS has been an obligate chest sleeper, so if i want any chance of getting him to nap, i have to put him on his belly.  i held him for naps for the first couple months, but by four months he would take 20 min to half hour naps on his own, on his belly. he learned to roll from back to front in his sleep at three months (i would try to put him down next to me in bed, and he would always wake up or roll over, although he had no idea he could do it while he was awake).  awake rolling over happened right around the four month mark, but he couldn't get belly to back for a good while after that, at which point it was only if he fell from propping himself up, lol. i'm not very worried about the tummy sleeping because of his really good head/neck control when he is on his crib (we have it side-carred) but i'm not comfortable with him on his belly in the big bed.  if he wants to belly sleep in there, it's on my chest because i don't feel like our bed is safe enough for him to belly sleep on by himself.  anyway, hth!

[kimkim]

DD always preferred sleeping on. Her side or belly from birth. A few generations ago it was encouraged to have them sleep in their yummiest I think the fear then was aspirating spit up. If you know your li's neck is strong enough to lift and move her head I wouldn't worry. It would be different at 5 weeks...

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[stelly]

My daughter (who is 3 now) rolled onto her stomach at night from about 4 months old.  I used to get up and turn her head to the side or roll her onto her back, but she'd always go onto her stomach again.  She slept like  a dream once she started doing it, and she is a thumb sucker so I understood why being on her front was easier to keep the thumb in.  I think once they can do it themselves there isn't much you can do except encourage them to keep their head to the side and make sure their hands are free and sleeping area is safe.

[TreeRose]

DD slept on her side from day 1 with no encouragement from me. She quickly became tummy sleeper and I think it's just more comforting that way.