Tummy sleeping...

[Chantal]

Lauren LOVES to sleep on her tummy and I am able to get her to nap up to 4 hours during the day on her tummy. She sleeps VERY soundly and especially she puts herself to sleep without any issue or fuss at all.

She is now 4 months old, and can roll from her tummy to her back with ease.

At night - I let her fall asleep on her tummy, but then roll her onto her back before I go to bed.

When would you feel comfortable letting her sleep all night on her tummy?

[BonnieG]

I know with both Dugan and Isabelle, they both also preferred to sleep on their tummies! Before they were old enough to roll, our doctor said that I should try to get them to sleep on their backs, but once they were both able to roll, she said that as long as I didn't have anything in their crib (stuffed animals, blankets and that their crib sheets were nice and tight) that it really wasn't a problem. As she put it, if they really want to sleep on their tummies, they are going to roll themselves into that position and what was I gonna do, set my alarm for every hour to wake up to roll them back over? JMO and what my doctor said. But you should do what you and Lauren's doctor feel is right.

[Irish Luck]

I'm not the best person to ask as my three kids were all tummy sleepers, Erin has been sleeping on her tummy from about the 1st week.

It does come down to what you are comfortable doing.

[Chantal]

Bonnie ~ I agree with what you said... I had the same conversation with Dh too. Right now, Lauren doesnt fully roll from back to tummy - she is close, but not quite doing it. However, like I said, she is great going from tummy to back when she wants to. We have never used bumper pads in the crib (even for Kaitlyn) and Lauren prefers to sleep without any blankets. So, I guess I can start leaving her on her tummy through the night :) Thanks for your post :)


Suzanne ~ Thanks :) Lauren has always preferred her tummy to her back. Once I gave in and let her sleep on her tummy in her crib during the day - she started pulling these great day naps... and then started sleeping better through the night... and since I have let her fall asleep on her tummy at night (then go roll her over) she has actually been sleeping through the night :)

I am happy to hear that it's not that uncommon for babies to sleep on their tummies :) Thanks again :)

[AmyP]

If she can roll, then it's fine. Sarah slept better once she figured out how to get on her tummy. Sarah's doctor told us she could sleep on her tummy once she could roll from tummy to back. She still sleeps on her tummy and that's fine with me.

[Jayne]

Chantal, both my babies were tummy sleepers. They just prefered it and honestly this is one that I didn't have a problem with. I let them sleep tummy from the day they came home from the hospital. I talked to my Pedi and he said that while he can't tell me to have them sleep on their tummy, he wouldn't tell me not to let them. His rule was that they had to be able to lift their heads up and look side to side. I also didn't put any blankets in bed with them and just dressed them for the elements.

[Chantal]

Thanks Amy and Jayne :)


Here is Lauren's sleep schedule.

Day nap from 10:30 (11) -2:30 (3) ~~~ tummy

Quick 45min snooze around 4:30 (5) in her swing or stroller, or wherever she is lying down.

Bedtime 7:30pm - on her tummy until about 11pm. On her back until 5:30am (6) until she wakes for a quick feeding, then back to bed on her tummy until 8:30am (9).

Even after a full night sleep - Lauren is ready to go back to sleep about 2-2 1/2 hrs from the time she woke up last.

She has been sleeping longer since we started her on cereal/fruits/veggies over the past couple of weeks. She is still nursing like a champ in between sleeping and eating :lol:

I am expecting her to be 4ft tall by the time she is 1yr old at this rate :lol2:

[Brooke]

Rebekah started sleeping on her tummy when she was 5 weeks old. Daniel was older, but only because he slept in his infant carrier until he was 3 or 4 months old. Then he transitioned to his tummy in the crib.

[Lyoshka]

Nikita has been exclusively sleeping on his tummy since he was about 2 months old. I was scared at first, but he did great, and we never had a problem. Now, at 6.5 months, he sleeps ALL over the crib hehe... I would say go with what is working...Good luck, Chantal!

[Lora]

Patrick was my tummy sleeper. As soon as he learned to roll over at about 4 months he refused to sleep on his back. I would put him on his back in the crib and he would immediately turn over to his stomach. It bothered me at first but he slept great and after my horrible experience with Christopher's lack of sleeping for his whole first year I got used to it pretty quickly. Nathan is a back sleeper but thank goodness he sleeps wonderfully!

Lora