Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I just found out at daycare that Cailen sleeps on his belly. He has only been sleeping in his swing because he won't sleep on his back, but he goes right down when he is placed on his belly in his crib.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I know he has good head control, I have seen him move when he is uncomfortable, and his head is placed to the side.

PLEASE no flames. No "how could you even think of doing this, how negligent, etc."

I dont think I will do this at home until he has mastered rolling over (he tries his damdest) but I may do it for naps if I'm watching him, like at daycare...

I'm a wreck about this, but I also want him to be able to sleep comfortably...

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

i found out at 4 weeks DD slept amazingly on her belly...and so i let her...at naps, at bedtime...all the time on her belly. was i nervous? yeah, a little, but not crazy. she was always great at picking her head up and everything, and i didnt keep anything in the crib that would "cause her harm". no flames- i say, let them sleep the way they sleep best...

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

So far, only on my belly does she get to sleep on hers.

I basically have no help here, just wanted to say if you're comfortable and the baby is sleeping, why not? Our Mother's use to have us sleep on our bellies.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

:raising hand:

Both of my kids were belly sleepers. Something I discovered early on. It's definitely something that you need to be comfortable with.

I'm hesitating writing this part but ....your daycare should NOT be able to have him sleep on his belly without express, written permission from you. That is only something that the parents should decide.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I'm really surprised they let him sleep on his belly and I'm even more surprised that they JUST told you about it! IIRC my daycare enrollment package had a form that I had to sign if I want her on her belly (I don't).

I like to think that they make the belly guideline for a reason. I'm sure most babies would sleep better on their bellies, but since that increases their risk of SIDS dramatically, I personally would avoid it until the baby is much older.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Ainsley naps on her belly and sleeps so much better that way than on her back. She'll be 11 weeks tomorrow and I think she'll be going to sleep for the night on her belly soon - she has very good head and neck control - I'm still a bit nervous though.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Christopher naps on his belly and sleeps really well that way as well.

Makes sense though, who really wants to sleep flat on their back??

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I let him sleep on his belly as soon as we came home, but only if he is sleeping on mine or DH chest. He is not great at turning his head when he is on his belly or I would let him sleep like this. He gets a great sleep when he is on his belly & has less acid reflux & no hiccups....

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

You are free to decide whatever you think is best for your baby, but I am also really, really surprised that the daycare did this without talking to you about it first. I doubt they really watch him that closely while he sleeps -- I know he's cute and all, but they have other work to do too!

I think this is a decision you should make with your pediatrician. There are lots of reasons why it could be the right thing to do, but none of us know the details of your sons medical history!

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Bella slept on my chest, on her belly from day one. We've gotten out of that stage, but in the beginning that was the only way she'd sleep. She HATES being flat on her back. I have contemplated putting her on her belly in the co-sleeper, but there's something inside that's making me wait. Now we've moved on to her propped up in the boppy to sleep

But she LOVES sleeping on her belly. We're always napping that way

Message edited 7/9/2007 6:47:15 PM.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Posted by chelle

Bella slept on my chest, on her belly from day one. We've gotten out of that stage, but in the beginning that was the only way she'd sleep. She HATES being flat on her back. I have contemplated putting her on her belly in the co-sleeper, but there's something inside that's making me wait. Now we've moved on to her propped up in the boppy to sleep

But she LOVES sleeping on her belly. We're always napping that way

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Message edited 7/9/2007 7:44:52 PM.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

No flames here! Ava has slept on her belly since 4 weeks old when she started to roll to it. It helped her reflux, too. And I'm convinced that it helped her sleep through the night early on.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Andrew starting sleeping on his belly really soon. It got me soo nervous but there was nothing I could do about it. Every time I would turn him over he would go back on his belly/

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I let both of my kids be belly sleepers since one week old.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Why would someone flame you

Steven didn't sleep on his belly only because he really didn't show an interest. Once he started to roll, he slept on the belly and I left him.

If you feel comfy with it, than I don't see anything wrong with it.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

DS is an early roller and started a few weeks ago by sleeping on his side, now he totally rolls over onto his stomach. I am still a little scared so I keep rolling him onto his back and eventually he just stays like that. If he is able to pick up his head and move it to the side, I think he is ok.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I have been wrestling with this too- Emma's not a fan of napping, and I was able to get her to nap on her stomach a couple times. When she was asleep I flipped her onto her back and she woke pretty soon after. She sleeps great at night, on her back, oddly enough. But I want her to nap and she has great neck control so I'm thinking about it.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

ME ME!! Actually we let the babies sleep on our chests a lot (probably another big no-no) because some nights that was the only way for them to sleep. I use to let them nap on their bellies if I was watching them. Other then that they were on their backs until 4 months and they rolled over. Now they rarely ever sleep on their backs.

You do what is best for you.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

no flames here. do what works best for you. i do, however, have a problem with your childcare telling you now that he sleeps on his belly. they really should have had your permission to do so and in fact, there may even be some sort of law about it in day care centers. maybe stacy1403 knows?

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Let me start by saying...I am not a MOM, but I am an Aunt who has 2 neices that are my world. I have taken care of them both since they were very little, and it was my brother and my best friends choice (2 seperate kids, they ar enot together) to let them sleep on there bellies. They were more comfortable, and they slept longer. I know about the reading material out there, but I always felt more comfortable with them on there bellies also. In the last 10-15 yrs the back/belly saga has changed multiple times, and I have read the research, but IMHO SIDS is an unknown condition with just that.....unknown reasons. Just do wht makes you both happy and comfortable. I have had the saddness of getting a SIDS baby call in EMS and I can tell you 3 things....no pets, parents and family were non-smokers, baby was on her back............Do what makes you and Cailen happy

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

Spencer slept on his belly from day 1.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

YUP!

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

I wish I would've put DD to sleep on her belly. She would not sleep in the crib the first six months- only in the swing. Once she was on her belly, she was a very good sleeper in the crib.

At my daycare, the policy is to never ever put them on their bellies unless they have written, signed consent from the parents. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Re: Did anyone cave and let their baby sleep on their belly?

My son always slept on his belly.

Truthfully, I was more concerned about him being on his back and spitting up and not being able to move his head to the side so he could clear his throat (so that he could choke and aspirate the spit up) than I was about the SIDS issue.

Before he could lift his head well, I used a wedge and it laid him onto his side, but the second he could lift his head he went onto his belly.