# Is it dangerous to fall asleep nursing on side?



## Hollin (Jun 26, 2005)

DS and I are finally to the point where we have the side lying nursing totally down and we both drift off to sleep during the nursing session at night. I was thinking about it last night and wondering if this is increasing his risk of SIDS since he is not on his back for the majority of the night. His head is always on my arm and we're belly to belly so I feel like he couldn't roll over and smoosh his face against the mattress, but I'm not sure. Any info or thoughts? He's 6 weeks old btw.


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## CB73 (Apr 16, 2005)

I've side-nursed my 2 sons in our family bed for 2+ years, beginning as early as we could master side sleeping. It works well, and I do not worry about SIDS/overlaying/smothering with blankets & pillows at all.
Keep the blankets at your waist or so, pillow high & under your own head, so your son should be perfectly snuggled in your "C" curve as you nurse and drift to sleep. If I stir and the baby is deeply back to sleep, I simply move away a little... In such a short time he will be wiggling and rolling and your mind will ease even more.

Sweet dreams!


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## mamanerd (Feb 1, 2006)

Somewhere on McKenna's website he quotes some research about how alert mamas who sleep with their babies are to changes in their babies state. Avoiding SIDS is not just about putting babies to sleep on their backs (and in any event, between the sleeping-prone advice of the bad old days and the current back-to-sleep campaign, there was a side-lying campaign). It's about having you close to your baby and in sync with your baby so if something does happen, you're there to encourage your baby to keep breathing.

I'm hugely envious that you got side-lying working so well so early. It worked for ds and me for the first couple nights in the hospital after my c-section, but once we were home, it was a long couple of months before we had it working again; he kept kicking my incision, among other things. Life got much better with side-lying.

Don't know about your baby; ds was able to roll side to back and back to side from the day he was born, so it was pretty much impossible to keep him on his back through the night anyway.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I never worried about it and nursed sidelying from the beginning. BUT I let my dd nap on her tummy too....









-Angela


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## SunShineSally (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna*
I never worried about it and nursed sidelying from the beginning. BUT I let my dd nap on her tummy too....









-Angela
















: ( a little OT)I didn't even know about "back to sleep" until i put one of those wear a blanket things and it had a whole story about it. To me it doesn't make sense because when ds is sleeping on his back his head never goes to the side andI thought he would choke on spit up if he was to spit up in his sleep.

But I side nurse Ds right from the first day we were home it has always been easier for us. I also kept his head on my arm beacuse I knew he wouldn't get smothered or anything with me so close to him that and he did and still does love his milkies. As long as you are comfortable and have no fears about it then all should be well after all you are the mama and you do know best for you baby









Karen and Baby joe


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## mollyeilis (Mar 6, 2004)

Baby sleeping on his side is totally fine! IN fact we sometimes positioned DS on his side, and he slept great. That was before I could nurse while side-lying, though, we'd just put the little foam sleep positioner wedges close to his torso so he was on his side.









Speaking plainly:
Don't get everything confused (very very common when talking about family beds)...if a baby puts his face into mattress and something happens, that's not SIDS, it's something else. SIDS is death for unexplainable reasons...studies have found correlations with some things, but it's not causation, know what I mean?

Anyway, sleeping on your sides is fine.


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## renaissanceed (Aug 2, 2005)

Just another nod to sidelying and sleeping after night nursing being OK. From what I've read and what PPs have said, you are very aware of your DC's breathing and movements when you are that close as long as you have not had any drugs/alcohol prior to sleep.

We do it every night and I usually wake up after DD goes to sleep to move away a bit from her to give her space but I find that she now wiggles towards me (and then usually ends up on her back since she's wiggling away from the rolled up blanket that was keeping her on her side). And then I wiggle to give her space and then she wiggles towards me and then DH falls off the bed!

Happy sleeping!


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## beaches1098 (Jun 17, 2004)

If I fall asleep nursing I consider it a blessing! I don't move anybody and I just make sure the blankets are low on my body.


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## ElektroChik (Jan 10, 2005)

I have read in numerous places that an infant's heartbeat will match his/her mamas when they are close. So just think, when your little one is nursing and lieing next to you, your presence is keeping them breathing. Just don't smother them and they will be fine!


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## itsajenism (May 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamanerd*
Somewhere on McKenna's website he quotes some research about how alert mamas who sleep with their babies are to changes in their babies state. Avoiding SIDS is not just about putting babies to sleep on their backs (and in any event, between the sleeping-prone advice of the bad old days and the current back-to-sleep campaign, there was a side-lying campaign). It's about having you close to your baby and in sync with your baby so if something does happen, you're there to encourage your baby to keep breathing.









:

I've never considered falling asleep while side nursing as being a problem. *shrug* In the beginning it was the only way I could get sleep.

DS has also always slept on his side (if he was nursing) or tummy. He will not stay asleep on his back, AT ALL, even now that he's 13 months.


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