Mother Talkers

Stomach sleeping??

by RachelD

Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 04:31:10 PM PDT

MTs, I could use some advice. Today when I got ds from his morning nap, it was obvious he had been sleeping on his stomach from the patterns on his cheek and forehead. Really freaked me out. So when I checked on him during his afternoon nap, there he was again, on his stomach. Totally breathing of course, but what am I to make of this?

He is 8 months. He can push himself up on his arms when on his stomach, and can almost crawl. The last few weeks when I get him from his naps, there he is on his stomach, waiting for me, at least half the time. He rolls from back to front easily, but not front to back, so he gets stuck and calls for me, which I understand is common.

I have checked three of my child care tomes, and no one mentions when it's ok to allow the stomach sleeping. What should I do, if anything???

I am now obsessively checking him during this third nap. He's on his back. The bumpers are still on the crib, because he likes to scratch on the parts that are fuzzy as he's falling asleep ... I am removing those tonight. But what else?

Thanks tons,

RachelD

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  • I wouldn't worry about it. (0 / 0)

    The incidence of SIDS goes way down past six months.  And lets be real...our parents all put us down to sleep on our stomachs from the day we were born.  The only thing I might do would be to make sure that he isn't too warm...keep the room cool, limit blankets and let him sleep is something light weight.

    by tjb22 on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 04:58:20 PM PDT

    • I agree (0 / 0)

      If he can push up, turn over, etc. he can sleep on his stomach. My kids both slept on their stomachs once they could roll over - wasn't much I could do about it and they slept much better that way! I also agree about no blankets, pillows, or heavy pjs.

      by GiGi on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 05:24:31 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • I put DS on his stomach (0 / 0)

      'cause that's what the conventional wisdom was in 1983.  Since he survived, I was pretty comfortable with DD sleeping that way, too.  DH (first time daddy) was the obsessive checker in our household.

      ITA with your comments about temperature - DD goes to bed in a blanket sleeper these days (we are in the Northeast, and DH keeps the heat set at 64 at night) and I put a blanket on her, but she almost always kicks it to the foot of the bed while she's sleeping.  I figure if she's not waking up in the middle of the night, she must be warm enough. (Even if I'm not!)

      by ChristineB on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 08:39:01 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • I'll third the okay (0 / 0)

    8 months is really pretty big.  Lots of head and neck control.  

    I can understand the obsessive checking, though!!!  Hell, my kids are four and six YEARS old and I still check on them at night.  Of course, the four year old comes and checks on us at night, so I don't need to get up!

    Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

    by Hillary on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 05:46:37 PM PDT

  • DS did the same thing (0 / 0)

    He started sleeping on his side at 6 months, and belly sleeping at 7 months. I was a little concered about it too and my Ped said as long as he can roll himself over there is little you can do to control his sleep position. So I guess it was what ever works for him.

    Your little guy sounds pretty mobile. He'll be standing in the crib before you know it. Jack was about 8 months old when he started doing that. Have you lowered the matress yet? Its kind of pain, and tough on the back, but better than having an escape artist on your hands.

    Jen in NJ

    by littlepear on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 05:48:42 PM PDT

  • It's fun (0 / 0)

    to hear what your 8 mos old is doing. Mine is getting her 4th tooth, and also just about to crawl. She's good at scooting, but only on the pergo and other slippy surfaces.

    I agree with all comments above that it doesn't sound bad at all, but I'm guilty of checking my little ones constantly, too, even the 4 year old.

    by tarantula on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 06:12:18 PM PDT

    • Tooth (0 / 0)

      Ds is getting his third tooth, and the drooling this time is quite the steady stream.  He also loves the slippery floor, especially in his sleep sack.

      What is your daughter's birthday? Ds was born May 20.

      RachelD

      by RachelD on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 09:36:58 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • May 26 (0 / 0)

        four days late! It was a crazy week! Very normal birth, but the waiting and my mother hoping she would be born during the visit and juggling what to do with my then 3-yr-old if my mom couldn't be there.

        Who would have guessed that you could be 2cm dilated for weeks? Now I know the truth, that dilation is in the eyes of the beholder, doctor vs. nurse vs. midwife. The anticipation was incredible.

        by tarantula on Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 07:42:38 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  • Rest at ease, (0 / 0)

    Oh-She-Of-The-Lovely-Name, and the pun is intended. My GP said that by the time they're capable of rolling onto their tummies, they're capable of sleeping that way. And I empathise with you about constantly checking! I spent the first month of Jess sleeping through the night checking her every two hours - and if I wasn't, DH was, and I would wake with him getting out of bed! Each time I'd wake up, I'd think "goddamn it, this isn't right!"

    by Rachel on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 07:29:39 PM PDT

    • Checking (0 / 0)

      My husband hates it when I ask him to check, when I am wondering what ds is doing in there in his sleep. I tell him that I'm too nervous to go in there, I'll trip or something and wake the baby up. He always rolls his eyes but he does check. Sometimes I even trot out "What, you don't care if our son is breathing?" (And I'm not the Jewish half of the relationship LOL).

      But you're right .... it isn't right!

      RachellD

      by RachelD on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 09:31:18 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Thank you! (0 / 0)

    Ok, I'm not freaking out now. I did remove a blanket I used to tuck in under the mattress so it couldn't get pulled around the crib. He's sleeping in his sleep sack with just cotton pj's. The room temp is good. (I used to keep the sliding glass door open slightly until about October ... my husband said I was freezing him!!) We did lower the mattress to the middle level a couple of weeks ago when his head was higher than the top when he was pushing up on his arms.

    And as I was obsessing this afternoon, it occured to me that all of the times I've gone in there and he was already up on his arms to check me out, he could have been sleeping on his stomach and I never realized it!

    So thanks again, I feel a lot better.

    RachellD

    by RachelD on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 09:23:08 PM PDT

  • asdf (0 / 0)

    I'll agree with everyone else that at eight months old, he's fine.  My guess is that once they can move that independantly they're probably fine, but I distinctly remember how terrifying it was the first time I saw dd sleeping on her stomach.  

    by Erin on Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 10:28:00 PM PDT

  • my midwife... (0 / 0)

    told me that as long as my baby was getting good sleep, to let him sleep how he slept best. this was on his stomach, with the caveat of course to have firm mattress, no fluffy blankets underneath him, etc, etc, etc. common sense stuff.

    he slept best on his stomach, and we had no a problem one.

    i firmly believe that we all have an inate sense of what is best for us... even babies, at eight months.

    We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. - E.R. Murrow

    by lorin on Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 02:51:54 AM PDT

  • Don't worry about it. (0 / 0)

    Sounds like he's plenty strong and not at risk of SIDS or suffocation at this point. I am a "terrible mommy;" I put my son to sleep on his tummy at 4 WEEKS. He also slept with a blanket that he liked to keep against his cheek. It was scary at first but eventually you know your kid: he didn't have asthma or allergies, we were not smokers, we had no SIDS or heart defects in our families--he had none of those things that put him at risk of SIDS. If you son's the same way, I would seriously not give it another thought.

    by minnmom on Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 10:22:01 AM PDT

  • You have to know your kid (0 / 0)

    Your sounds like he'll be fine.  I think, for the most part, when the can get themselves into different positions, it's ok.  Kid Sparky often sleeps on his stomach, because it's the only way he can breathe with his terrible colds, so we just position him carefully on non-fluffy matresses or pillows.

    by lonespark on Mon Jan 22, 2007 at 07:23:28 AM PDT

    • He does have a cold right now (0 / 0)

      So I think you're right about that: I think he sleeps on his stomach right now to help with congestion.

      He can easily move about on his stomach, and push himself up. I now wish he could gently get himself back down again without yelling for mom :).

      RachelD

      by RachelD on Mon Jan 22, 2007 at 07:34:11 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

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