Informal poll: Does your baby ever sleep on his/her stomache?

[anitakidcrazy]

SO.....Ruby Jo LOVES sleeping on her side or stomache and only lasts a short while on her back. If she's co-sleeping with us in our bed, is it so bad to allow her to sleep on her stomache? I've asked several mamas in my community, and, so far, the majority of them allowed their babies to sleep this way, despite the APA recommendations. Am I taking a big risk?

[JustJamie]

Victoria will NOT sleep on her back unless she is sitting up, like in the carseat. She sleeps best on her tummy, with knees under her and her butt in the air.

[RosemaryS-F]

No, he doesn't sleep on his stomach unless it's on me. He likes his side. Not the back though!

[~Katrinka~]

You know, I don't think I would ever let my baby sleep on his stomach in my bed, even though I have a very firm mattress. Maybe if I took all the pillows off the bed, and I was awake.I do let him nap on his stomach in the co-sleeper when I am awake and can peek in on him. When Teddy sleeps in our bed - like he does most of the night -- he sleeps on his back or side, in the crook of my arm, or sometimes I'll lie on my back and he'll cuddle on top of me.

However, my children, each and every one of them, have HATED back sleeping and side sleeping, alone in a crib. Teddy is actually taking a record-breaking nap on his back right now; he's been asleep for about 20 minutes. Woohoo. If I let him nap on his tummy in his co-sleeper, he has been known to sleep for 2 or 3 hours. He'll nap in his carseat for an hour or 2. On his back in the co-sleeper - usually 20-30 minutes maximum, and often he'll wake up nearly instantly.

For me, once my baby starts to roll over by themselves, I figure it's a moot point, and will put them down on their stomach to sleep at night. We have always kept our babies in our room in a portacrib- so it has a super-firm mattress. Still, I struggle with the guilt of going against the APA recommendations with each baby.
Now that I think about it, when I had my older children, co-sleeping was pretty much frowned-upon, too. And when my parents had me -- back sleeping was a no-no. The theory was that babies would choke on their spit-up, so they were safer on their stomachs.

[mothernurture2]

i put all my kids to sleep on their tummies.......especially when they are gassy.

[mtm]

Dd sleeps on her stomache on my chest when she has bad gas, otherwise its on her back or on her side in the crook of my arm. I would not risk it other than while she is on me.

[anitakidcrazy]

I'm in the bed with her when she sleeps on her belly and she can turn her head easily from side to side. During the day, she sleeps in a baby sling (ergo or moby) or on top of me. I've also noticed that she farts often when she sleeps on her tummy!

...But, I am such a worrier by nature that I'm not sure this is the best route to go. Why is it that most babies sleep better on their bellies, but that we are told that they should sleep on their backs? It just seems more natural to me to do what makes them sleep more effectively.

[nugglemama]

My DD rolls to her side in bed with us, she only takes catnaps on her back int the packnplay. Mostly she still sleeps in the wrap, sling or on dh though. I also have a cozy chair that she loves. I have never had a baby that like their tummy so mine have never slept like that.

[mothernurture2]

check out this thread for a discussion on the latest research on sids. some believe sids is caused by babies inhaling toxic fumes from the chemicals in mattresses. in new zealand they wrap their mattress in plastic and have had a dramatic decrease in sids.http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=498436

[Jes'sBeth]

Merry's a big side sleeper. It makes nursing easier too.

She does like to sleep on her tummy on my chest but other than that I mostly put her down on her side because she sleeps best that way.

[clsupnorth]

My LO sleeps best on her side, or 3/4 (slightly on back, leaned against a bolster or rolled up towel). When she's cosleeping with us, she's in the crook of my arm on her side. I've found if she's fussing or making a ton of noise and can't seem to get to sleep, all I have to do is flip her from her back to side, or hoist her tummy down onto my chest and she immediately goes to sleep.

[esmlranch]

v sleeps on her side snuggled up to me or on her tummy with me on my back. once she is really asleep i am able to lay her on her back to sleep only if i am right next to her. she has a radar on me and knows the second i get up............. she also sleeps in the sling during the day. she wakes up within minutes if i lay her in the packnplay or cosleeper. sometimes i have better luck in the swing. i am too paranoid to lay her on her tummy at night.

[DBZ]

Zoë sleeps on her back and side ok. I don't put her on her tummy though.

[FoxintheSnow]

I dont put her on her tummy but sometimes she rolls from her side to tummy. If I notice I put her back on her side. Tummy sleeping makes me way too nervous, but I understand the desire as my son only slept well on his tummy.

[1Plus2]

Willa is a tummy sleeper too. If I put her to bed on her back or side she'll last MAYBE 30 minutes. If she's on her tummy she'll go 4-5 hours!

[Gnatty]

Nathan usually sleeps on his side during the night, during the day he sleeps on his tummy on my chest, or on his back or side in the portacrib--or tummy if I'm going to be right there. I think he might sleep better on his tummy when he's sleeping alone, but I'm a little nervous about it so I don't do it a lot.

[lilkat]

Originally Posted by esmlranch

v sleeps on her side snuggled up to me or on her tummy with me on my back. once she is really asleep i am able to lay her on her back to sleep only if i am right next to her. she has a radar on me and knows the second i get up............. she also sleeps in the sling during the day. she wakes up within minutes if i lay her in the packnplay or cosleeper. sometimes i have better luck in the swing. i am too paranoid to lay her on her tummy at night.

This sounds like me and Ren exactly.

[Smokering]

Rowan cosleeps and usually falls asleep nursing, so she'll sleep on her side or sometimes roll onto her back (I occasionally encourage this with a gentle push). She'll sleep on her tummy if she's lying on me or Daddy--come to think of it, that's how she slept the first night, sort of in the breast-crawl position. Occasionally she's rolled from her side to her tummy in the big bed, but it makes me a little nervous so I roll her back. Then again, I'm not *too* worried because she has a good strong neck--once I came in and found her on her front, but with her head raised a good inch above the bed, staring at the wall like a little turtle and grunting.

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

caden usually sleeps on his side cuddeled up to me