31/2 mth old rolling over

[wendmatt]

My dd just learned to roll over. We of course are very proud parents but now I'm terrified she'll roll onto her face and suffocate in her crib! She can lift her head and cries on her tummy after a while so I should hear her if she cries (monitor in b.room) but I'm worried she won't get to cry before she suffocates! Am I just being overly paranoid ( I hardly slept last night as I kept going in to check on her, she was sound sleep on her back!!) I really need some reassurance!
Thanks
Wendy (Mum to Emily Maya, 11/21/02)

[Momof3Labs]

Wendy,

While it is something to be aware of, I don't think that it is necessary to be terrified. When you and I were babies, we slept on our tummies full time - lots of babies have done just fine that way. Your dd will probably learn to roll the other way soon, so she'll just end up sleeping the way that she finds most comfortable.

Just make sure that you have no blankets, quilts, pillows, or anything in the crib with her. Even remove the bumper pads if you are concerned about her smashing her face into them. The crib sheet should fit very snugly and not pull off. As long as your mattress is very firm, she shouldn't be able to cover both her mouth and nose at the same time (try it yourself with a flat surface - it is hard/impossible!) which is how she would suffocate on her tummy.

Hope this helps - you will survive this stage, and then she'll start doing something else to scare you!

[egoldber]

Well, 3 1/2 months is REALLY young to roll over and tummy sleep. If I were you, I would try putting her in a sleep sack to see if that helps to prevent her rolling over.

You can also try using the method illustrated on the SIDS Alliance website. http://www.sidsalliance.org/Newparents/default.asp Go to the drop down menu at the top of the page and click on "Safe Infant Bedding Practices".

HTH,

[August Mom]

You might want to try a sleep positioner. It kept my DS from rolling over all the time. He could occasionally do it as he got better at rolling, but he really had to work at it with the sleep positioner in his way. Also, I love our sleep sack, but by itself it doesn't keep DS from rolling over. Who knows, though, it might work for you.