# Newborn sleeps SO well! (On tummy ONLY!) What to do?



## Dot-to-Dot

It is quite clear (at 2 weeks old) that my baby is only willing to sleep on her tummy. She takes great naps and sleeps peacefully during the night waking for a couple feedings when on her tummy. Of course, I don't sleep because I am so worried she's going to stop breathing. (I totally understand the apnea part of SIDS and though we have no other risk factors, I can't escape the risk factor that her neurological system is immature and may not wake herself up).

Even my pediatrician says that it's normal for all mammals to sleep on their bellies. It's natural. With my dd1, we were just plain miserable for 6 months until the doctor hinted that he thought it was fine for her to sleep on her tummy. (I don't think he could outright say it without some major liability). Anyway, that very night I let her sleep on her belly and never looked back. She never rolled over (just strangely skipped that milestone), otherwise I'd have used that as a reason to let her sleep however she wants.

Do I need to wait for this baby to be able to roll over to her belly before I stop freaking out over this. I AM TIRED! I want us all to get some good sleep. I'm not expecting anything out of the ordinary for a newborn...I just want her to sleep for longer than 5 minutes while on her back OR I want to eliminate my worries about her sleeping on her tummy.

Should I just slog through the months of sleeplessness until she rolls to her tummy on her own? Or should I put her there and let her sleep blissfully?


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## Amanda_Reyasmom

If she can lift her head and turn it I'd put her on her belly! My girlie's a belly sleeper too.


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## Dot-to-Dot

She can definitely lift her head and turn...but according to my research SIDS is related to the normal sleep apnea that is normal in babies due to their immature neurological system that forgets to wake them up...in which case head control wouldn't matter.


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## macy

I was going to paraphrase something I'd read a few months ago but then I decided to just link you to it. It's very informative.

http://www.sids.org/nfeaturedques.htm

If she won't sleep on her back, have you tried a swing or bouncy seat instead, or ruled out reflux?

I hope you are able to get some sleep. If you are really exhausted maybe someone else to take over for a few hours so you can nap.


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## ZakareyasMama

DS was exactly the same. Have you tried him on his side with a wedge or something? They also sell some monitors that go off if the baby stops breathing. I have a friend who has one. They are $$$ but how much is your sleep worth?

Now that he's older he will sleep on his back at night and on the tummy with supervision for naps. I'm next to him at night with my hand on his belly. If he happens to sleep on his back when I'm not ready to lie down, I'll put a thickish piece of fabric across his chest. This helps with the startle reflex.

I hope you can get some sleep soon!!


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## Bokonon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZakareyasMama*
> 
> They also sell some monitors that go off if the baby stops breathing. I have a friend who has one. They are $$$ but how much is your sleep worth?


In SIDS cases, a baby is unable to be resuscitated, so a motion sensor monitor would alert you to a problem, but realistically you wouldn't be able to do anything about it.


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## Dot-to-Dot

I have tried the swing and even an automatic bouncing bouncy seat (which is awesome by the way, but she won't sleep in it overnight, probably because she doesn't want to be in that same position all night long). I don't have any reason to believe she has reflux. Even "silent reflux". She doesn't just cry all night or grimace or anything. She spits up usually after eating especially if she didn't burp, but not enough to alarm me. She basically just grunts and grunts and flails her arms and gets more and more agitated until, well, yeah, then she'll cry because she's irritated, but not because of digestive issues I don't think.

I have been thinking about that special Angel Care monitor...yeah pricey...but you make a good point about the value of sleep. I've often thought about putting my small bean baggish neck pillow across her arms until she falls asleep...like how some kids with sensory issues prefer to have something dense laid on top of them to help them feel settled and organized. In fact I think I did try that with dd2 2 years ago. I don't think it worked but maybe I'll try that with this little one. I have a feeling she'll just awake as soon as I gently remove it.

*sigh*...maybe it's time to start saving for that special monitor.


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## macy

Dumb question but are you swaddling her?


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## 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.


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## Dot-to-Dot

Well, I decided to buy a BabeSafe mattress wrap for the co sleeper and crib. I see that some people on MDC really think the Sprott guy (who claims that mattress wrapping prevents SIDS 100%) is just trying to make a profit off the fears of parents...but the whole toxic nerve gas theory sure makes a lot of sense to me. The wrap won't give me total peace of mind, but I figure if I end up increasing her risk of SIDS by placing her on her stomach that I should at least do all I can to reduce her risk in other ways to combat it.









In my efforts to force her to sleep on her back, I am effectively keeping her awake all night (and then of course she naps happily in my arms all day)...and I am actually CAUSING her to have her days and nights mixed up.


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## Skippy918

My DD is 6 weeks old and I've been letting her nap on her tummy. I put the co-sleeper in the living room and I check on her frequently. At night, she sleeps in the swing with white noise. I'm probably going to try the swaddle in the crib at night to see how she does. I had tried the swaddle early on, but she kept getting mad and would cry. Not sure if the crying was due to her movement being restricted or that she was trying to get out but couldn't.

Quote:


> In SIDS cases, a baby is unable to be resuscitated, so a motion sensor monitor would alert you to a problem, but realistically you wouldn't be able to do anything about it.


Why couldn't the baby be resuscitated?


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## Bokonon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Skippy918*
> 
> My DD is 6 weeks old and I've been letting her nap on her tummy. I put the co-sleeper in the living room and I check on her frequently. At night, she sleeps in the swing with white noise. I'm probably going to try the swaddle in the crib at night to see how she does. I had tried the swaddle early on, but she kept getting mad and would cry. Not sure if the crying was due to her movement being restricted or that she was trying to get out but couldn't.
> 
> Why couldn't the baby be resuscitated?


Because of something that happens in their brains...I don't remember exactly, and don't have time right now to find the link, but it's different from suffocation.


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## Dot-to-Dot

I think it might have something to do with the pressure on the brain stem...that pressue is what allows such a deep and blissful sleep...but it's also the problem as far as hindering the infant's neurological system to rouse or be revived. Also, once you discover that they aren't breathing, it's likely too late to revive them I would assume. Unless you are staring at them the entire time they are sleeping and you jiggle them awake the milisecond they stop breathing, then you are likely popping in and out of the room doing things and if you discover the baby a few minutes after they have sleep apnea I would think that would be too late.


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## QuestionGal

i vote for sleep on belly and add the idea of an Angel Care Monitor to give you peace of mind.

or try swaddling and see if that works.

http://www.angelcare-monitor.com/United-States/en/products


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## macy

The SIDS websites say not to use those monitors because they don't go off in time. I guess if you are going to do it anyway with the assumption that if something goes wrong you can resuscitate in time, then I'd at least be sure to know infant CPR well.


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## aHikaru

AE has slept on her belly since day one, we co slept in the same bed for the first six months and are still co sleeping in the same room, she is now 2yrs 4mths.


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## Alenushka

My the time you catch on that your baby is not breathing it is too late. Brain does not survive wihout oxygen for very long. While we all shoudl know CPR because sometime it saves people.....it does not have high sucess rates.

The risk of tummy sleeping is simply too high

http://sids.org/nfeaturedques.htm

Yes, there babies who slept on their tummies and did not die just like there people who drove drunk without seatbelts and are still alive.


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## JBaxter

Forum crasher. I have 4 boys. 19,16 7 and 2. the first 3 would ONLY sleep in their tummies. I mean more that 20 minutes sleep. After 3 weeks I was SO sleep deprived I gave up and put them in the bassinet on their tummy. Firm mattress no toys etc. They were all big strong babies who could lift their heads well. WE needed sleep I was getting crazy ( and depressed) by getting up ever 30 minutes round the clock. By the time ds3 was born and doing the same thing I just put him down and didnt worry. DS4 very different child he would only sleep on the side under my arm for the first 12 months.

There are many risk factors for SIDS. Smoking in the home drug use, birth weight etc. I wasnt worried.


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## Dot-to-Dot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alenushka*
> 
> The risk of tummy sleeping is simply too high
> 
> http://sids.org/nfeaturedques.htm
> 
> Yes, there babies who slept on their tummies and did not die just like there people who drove drunk without seatbelts and are still alive.


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.


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## yaboobarb

All three of my babies slept on their bellies and sides. All of my mom's 4 babies slept on their bellies or sides. Seeing all of the babies with flat backs of their heads made me feel something was wrong with ALWAYS back to sleep.

I felt comfortable following my instincts when I read all of the data about breathing and heart rates synchronizing with co sleeping it made me feel better.

When I realized that I would awake about 10-20 seconds before my baby did, I realized that we were REALLY connected, I felt even better. Experiencing my milk letting down when my baby was crying in the house with dad, and I was outdoors ( not within ear shot- but somehow connected) helped reinforce that *I* was truly connected to my baby and *I* had something within me that was deeper than "thinking"- it was called "knowing."

SIDS was called "Crib Death," way before it was called SIDS...

What I suggest is that you read/ research everything you can about the mother/ baby connection, then follow YOUR instincts.
You will know what the best thing is for your baby.

As a culture , we are taught to trust and follow "authorities" or "experts," but as a mother doing those things will make you feel in constant disharmony with your instincts.

Check out my blog post about.

*Knowing that You Know...*
http://birthpower.blogspot.com/2008/04/knowing-that-you-know.html

*And Finding Your Yes!*http://birthpower.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-on-no-finding-your-yes.html

Barbara


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## Bokonon

Quote:


> 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.


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## 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?


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## Bokonon

Quote:


> 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.


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## macy

Quote:


> 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


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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).


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## CookAMH

Quote:


> 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.


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## girlspn

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.


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## girlspn

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.


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