Tummy Sleeping
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38376
Printed Date: 24 August 2025 at 10:36pm
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Topic: Tummy Sleeping
Posted By: caraMel
Subject: Tummy Sleeping
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 4:34pm
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Jack is nearly 5 months and really loves to sleep on his side/tummy.
He sleeps so well on there too, a million times better than on his back. (I can understand, I'm a tummy sleeper too) I'm just not comfortable with it though, all the Plunket warnings etc about SIDS and back to sleep have affected my thinking and I am paranoid about leaving him to sleep this way and we can't afford an Angelcare or similar type monitor. SO. For those of you with tummy sleepers, when did they start? When is it safe to let them sleep this way? What do I do???? ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Replies:
Posted By: Buttersmum
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 4:49pm
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As soon as my wee girl could roll over she slept on her tummy. This was from about 3.5 - 4 mths old. Zoe has always had amazing head control. I do have to admit the first night I didn't sleep a wink but after that I was fine. She naturally turned her head from side to side and was fine. I had Plunket not long after and spoke to my plunket nurse and she said at her age with the good head control it was fine. I'm not a big believer in using a safety sleep thing (however don't begrudge anyone else for using one
At the end of the day it is personal choice what you are comfortable with. You would be surprised just how many babies are tummy sleepers but because you hear about all the bad things and that you shouldn't let them people tend to keep it quiet. I think its about being sensible and as long as there isn't anything else in the cot but a nice firm mattress it should be fine. If you aren't comfortable try using a single sheet and wrap it around baby and tuck that in tightly or just really tuck the sheets in tight. Or a sleep sack and tuck the end into the end of the cot. I have noticed as Zoe has gotten older she prefers to sleep on her side and now she can roll onto her back anyway if she wants to which occassionally she does. However her most fav position is on her tummy with her knees drawn up under her bum in the air.............how that can be comfortable I really don't know!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 my little blobby April 09 "gone but will never be forgotten xx"
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) so not only does she mostly sleep on her tummy but she sleeps wherever she ends up in her cot
Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 7:48pm
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DS was a tummy sleeper from day dot. Initially he would sleepon my chest on his tummy for both day nd night sleeps, then in the cot on his tummy for day sleeps ( with me checking him a million times). Now he will only sleep on his tummy, as soon as he rolls to his tummmy he wakes up all upset until I roll him back over.
I was really parnoid about it to start with, but after he started roling comfortably I relaxed a lot. He had reflux and was/is generally a terrible sleeper, so for me, if it works I'll do it :-) -------------  
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 9:15pm
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Lily didn't start until she learned to crawl tbh so about 9-10 months old. DP and I are both tummy sleepers though.
Tbh she actually slept on her side/tummy when we bought her home from the hospital - much better than back sleeping but like you I was scared of the risks so back slept her. My advice would be, as we haven't bothered with the sensor pads of our monitor (I always forgot to switch it on or off) so my advice is if he can roll both ways easily and lift his head well and turn to the sides etc. Maybe trial it for day sleeps and see how it goes. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 10:13pm
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I was & still am a tummy sleeper & that was back in the days well before monitors.
Make sure you keep anything clear of his head and that he can move his head around. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: Kalimirella
Date Posted: 13 March 2011 at 2:49am
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We tummy slept our girl from about 4 weeks, she always had excellent head control though, so lifting head and moving it wasn't a big problem.
Just use commonsense, flat sheet + firm mattress, no cosy toys etc, feet at bottom of bed so any blankets can't go over the face. K always slept better on tummy and in the end we just researched a bit, decided seeing as I wasn't a smoker and neither was anyone else around me inc DP, the risk of SIDS was very minimal (you will find in actual statistics that smoking is the worst risk). Now she can roll she has the choice but always sleeps on her tummy, legs under her and bum in the air. It's VERY cute  ------------- Kiara is 3 and Teagan is 2, now we're expecting our long awaited 3rd! http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 13 March 2011 at 1:05pm
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DS used to roll on his tummy and get stuck as he struggled to roll back so I used the safety sleep for awhile, but then by about 7 months he was crawling and able to get back fine and seemed to wake himself trying to get on to his tummy, so I took the safety sleep away and he was much happier. So if he can get out of that position I'd say it's fine (or you'll be getting up to roll him back!).
These days I put him down on his back (always did this) and he pretty much immediately rolls on to his tummy. Otherwise what about something like a wedge so he can sleep on his side? Kind of a half way in between? ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 14 March 2011 at 7:36am
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I slept both of my children on their tummies / side. My mum did the same with me and my sister, my MIL did it with her 3 kids etc etc. They both sleep/slept better. Lily will now roll to her tummy to sleep by herself, Thomas stays on his back mostly now. I used a wedge for them when they couldnt roll by themselves. ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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