My 4 month old is rolling on her tummy during sleep...

Question

I don't know if this is safe or not. Maybe I'm a little paranoid about SIDS. She just started doing this this week and ends up on her tummy, up against the bars of the crib. I don't have bumpers in the crib, but I'm worried she's going to bury her face into the mattress while she's sleeping and she won't be able to wake herself to move her head. She's a pretty strong baby. She can lift her head way up during tummy time and she holds her head very steady. I'm just worried. Do you think my worry is warrented?

Answer 1

My little boy just got past this stage. He is 4 1/2 month old and started to roll over a month ago. I hear your pain... I would sit infront of the baby TV monitor watching to make sure his head was turned to the side. Sometimes he would roll on his tummy and would be face down in his crib (which does have bummers) and, of course, I'd race in to make sure he was still breathing. Eventhough he was face down he always managed to have a portion of his nose positioned to the side which enabled him to breath. I wouldn't move him- I'd just watched him closely. As time passed I felt a bit more comfortable. I realized that because he was able to lift his head (like your daughter he would do this very easily during tummy time) he would move his face, as he slept, so that he could to breath. Watch your daughter and I'm sure she does this too. I think if you've take out all blanket, toys, etc. from her crib, she will probably do just fine on her tummy. Contiue to work with her to build her neck strength during tummy time.

In any event, I purchase a device that you place under the crib matteres that senses the motion of their breathing. If there is no motion for 20 sec. an alarm goes off. It totally worked great. It's called Angelcare Delux Movement Monitor. I found it at BabiesRus. It was totally unnecessary but it gave me peace of mind.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

If you are worried about it they have positioners that can keep infants from rolling in their sleep. They have round cushions on either side which makes it difficult for a child to roll over. Just put her on her side or back and she will stay that way. Hope this helps and good luck.

Answer 3

my son did this around the same age and he was a very heavy baby too so anyway get the angelcare movment moneter can moniter the smallest movments so that if he stops beathing the moniter will sence  no movment and sound the alarm a little pricy but definatly worth it it saved my son's life.  

Answer 4

I understand your concern, I have a 6 week old. Upon recently discovering that my baby is only comfortable on his belly, I did some investigating on SIDS.

"I don't have bumpers in the crib, but I'm worried she's going to bury her face into the mattress while she's sleeping and she won't be able to wake herself to move her head."

If that were to happen, god forbid, it would be suffocation...NOT SIDS. They are two completely different things. The cause of SIDS is unknown, and everything we hear about it are possible reasons that these babies are dying...but once again...it's still a mystery.

That being said, I can almost guarantee that your mom put you to sleep on your belly or your mom was put to sleep on her belly. Back in the day before this 'back to sleep campaign' started, people always said not to put babies on their backs because of vomiting/aspiration and flat heads. Times sure have changed.

Bottom line: Put your baby to sleep the way they are comfortable. If putting your baby to sleep on her back completely prevented SIDS, then it wouldn't exist.  

Answer 5

Your worry is warranted especially if your baby has not learned to roll back on her back again.  Try putting pillows on either side of her when you put her to bed so she cannot roll onto her tummy.  Worked for all three of my babies.

Answer 6

She's right on schedule.  That's when most babies learn how to roll over.

20 years ago, we thought the only way for our babies to sleep was on their tummies.  I don't know if the SIDs rate increased during that time, but my kids turned out just fine.

You can't control what baby does when sleeping.  If you want, you can get some sleeping wedges and place them strategically around the baby so that if the baby tries to roll, she can't.

I think she's going to be fine.  Enjoy the "baby stage."  Shortly, she'll be a toddler, a walker, a preschooler...

Best of wishes,

Try not to worry so much :)

TX Mom

Answer 7

You should get the breathable bumpers they sell them at Baby's R us.  I think they are about $25.00, I tried the wedge and my son still rolls over.  he is only 3 months and I worry all the time.  I am constantly checking to make sure that his head is turned.  The breathable bumpers but me a little at ease because they i knew he wouldn't get stuck in the bars and if he is pressed up against it he can breath with ease.  It's ok to worry, better to be safe then sorry right..  

Answer 8

Yes, I would be worried to, and I have been there not too long ago.  My boy is 16 months now, but I remember when he was just a few months old.  I couldn't sleep at all because I was so worried about SIDS.  I constantly jumped out of bed all night to check on him.  So I went to Walmart and got these bumper things.  They're 2 triangular things that go on the baby's sid to keep him/her from rolling over.  Also what really put me at ease was a motion sensor montior.  It's a regular baby montior, and it also has a motion sensor pad to put underneath the mattress.  It's very sensitive and it can sense that baby's breathing.  If it doesn't sense anything for 20 seconds, then an alarm goes off.  It was a little pricy, I think I payed about $70 for it, but it was worth every penny.