As a parent we are always worried that our little ones are safe especially during sleep when we can’t keep a “conscious” eye on them. It’s frightening to look at your monitor and see that your little one has rolled over and is face down on their tummy.
What to do?!
Do you:
A. roll them over a million times and risk keeping them awake
B. Let them stay on their tummy and is it safe?
The answer is pretty simple actually.
You should always place your baby down on their back until about 12 months old.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) sleep guidelines recommends placing your baby on a flat firm surface (crib/bassinet), on their back with no objects in the crib (bumpers, blankets, pillows).
There is clear evidence that shows that this will help reduce the risk of SIDS deaths.
So until after 1 year old always place your baby down on their back.
However, if they themselves roll onto their tummies, they likely have the strength and neck control to stay on their stomach. It is then save to leave them in that position.
At first, they WILL get stuck, especially during the first week when they haven’t mastered the skill of rolling just yet. This is why it’s important to practice, practice, practice during the day.
At night, you can certainly turn them over once in a while but always give them some space and time to practice the skill and get more comfortable in that position. They often end up loving it but it’s an adjustment. If you are constantly turning them back over that can disrupt their sleep and make them take longer to get used to that position as they don’t have the chance to practice that skill.
Give opportunities before intervening, watch and wait even just a few minutes and it will click a lot faster for them when they can experience the discomfort of learning a new skill (walking doesn’t happen right away, it takes practice and some falls just like any type of learning). Frustration is expected but know that your baby can do it!
Typically this transition phase takes about 7-9 days and then once they master the skill they are happy to roll over and you can feel at ease that it’s safe to leave them there.
A few safety requirements to keep in mind however:
Make sure your baby is NOT swaddled and arms are out at the first sign of rolling or after 8 weeks (you can use a transition swaddle instead).
Always put your baby on their backs first. There are days when your little one won’t have the strength to pull their head up and putting them on their stomach puts them at risk. If they roll on their own, we know they have the strength and neck strength.
Ensure the the crib is empty, with only a tight flat sheet (they can wear a sleep sack).
If your little one is not sleeping well and waking up every hour or every 2 hours then that’s a sign that it’s not the sleep position but that we need to take a look at schedule, environment, feeds, associations and get you a solid plan to improve sleep going forward. This will likely create long term sleep problems and rolling will just be one amoung many sleep disruptions you can face. It’s better to get your baby sleeping well first so they can navigate any bumps easier and faster. It’s important that YOU feel comfortable and prepared to know what to do to keep sleep intact and we can help you become a master at navigating sleep so it’s not something you ever have to worry about.
Reach out and book a call so I can assess your situation and offer the best solutions and plans to get it resolved for good!
