Who will admit to putting their baby on their belly to sleep?

[gatorsmom]

And at what age did you start? The twins have been soooo fussy in the evenings and it started early today. So, I noticed they both calmed down when I held them in a football hold facedown. They both fell asleep. So I transfered them to the crib and laid them on their bellies. And MIRACLE OF MIRACLES- THEY STAYED ASLEEP! Now, I am very, very aware of the risk of SIDs so I stayed there watching them for the 20 minutes they were down before I turned them over and they started screaming again. Mind you, I've tried EVERYTHING to get them to not be so fussy. But I have to admit I really enjoyed that 20 minutes of peace today.

I probably won't do this again until they are old enough to roll over easily by themselves (because I'd constantly be worried about them) but I just wanted to know if anyone else has tried this or does this?

[TaChapm]

As a mommy with 3 babies with terrible reflux I will admit to putting my kids to sleep on their tummies. Well...with Jackson I kept him on his back for several miserable months but I didn't hesitate with Tyler. I tried everything with him...the special reflux wedge, the amby hammock, side sleeping and nothing worked. Finally I went out and bought the Angel Care monitor and put him on his tummy. I know you are not technically supposed to use it for those reasons but we did and it was fabulous! Worth every penny we spent on it!

FWIW out ped and GI also did recommend tummy sleeping for the kids because they were so miserable so that eased my mind a little as well.

Sorry you are having such a tough time. Hang in there mama!

[Wife_and_mommy]

I did with dd from two weeks. She slept much better.

[ged]

I think we started around 6 -8 weeks or so? Maybe even earlier...

[MommyAllison]

I'll admit to it. :) Actually I remember a pretty long thread about this a couple years ago, around when my DD was born. It was here in the lounge, if you want to look for it. There were a lot of mamas here who let their babies sleep on their tummies.

Anyway, DD was the worst sleeper, and we ended up co-sleeping out of necessity (as in, it was necessary for me to get *some* sleep, and that was the only way I could get it!). I tried to keep her on her back or side for awhile, but she was really strong from the beginning, and could easily turn her head from side to side as a NB when laying on her tummy. She started rolling over at three months I think? But I had let her sleep on her tummy before that milestone. We did weigh the risks of SIDS a lot, and decided that for us, since we had no other risk factors, the risk was very small. She wouldn't stay asleep on her back until after she turned one, and she almost never falls asleep on her back even now. Can't say I blame her too much, as I hate sleeping on my back too! *hug* You aren't alone, Lisa!

[peasprout]

I'll admit it too! :o) But all my kids had very strong necks when they were babies. I didn't do it until they were able to turn their heads and lift up on their own.

[npace19147]

I did do it at some point prior to when she could roll over, can't remember when...it's all a blur right now. I know I did wait until she had enough neck control to be able to turn her head herself.

We did have some luck with using rolled blankets to prop her on her side, and she did sleep better that way than on her back. She hated being swaddled, so sleeping on her back just never worked well for us.

[JBaxter]

I will vote 3 times. All were a couple weeks ( 4 -7). All 3 slept so much better on their tummies

[o_mom]

DS1 was the same as you describe - would not sleep on his back, etc. We stuck through until he could roll.

With DS2 I discovered the miracle of swaddling and he slept very well on his back until he was busting out of the swaddle and then shortly after he learned to roll.

DS3 was similar except we had a Miracle Blanket and he was swaddled until about 6 months and rolling (I even made a larger version of the MB to keep him contained because it worked so well).

[g-mama]

Me! I started them on their tummies around 6 weeks. With my first, my MIL came over one afternoon to give me a break b/c I was super sick. I came downstairs and she had the baby on his stomach and I almost fainted. He slept for 3 hours straight (and had been a horrible sleeper) and I was a convert. ;)

[ThreeofUs]

I did! Except I wasn't as smart as you at correlating tummy = good, long sleep.

DS had awful sleep issues and horrible reflux. DH and I were on 4-hour shifts for 4 months. The Prevacid made the reflux less hurty, but didn't prevent it happening. So whenever DS went to sleep, he'd relax, reflux and choke, and the wake up screaming.

I'd put DS on his belly for tummy-time and he would immediately fall into exhausted sleep. I couldn't wake him up. (And am amazed, three years later, that I even tried!)

At 4 months, we were so zombied-out that DH put DS on his tummy to sleep by accident - and miracle of miracles, DS stayed asleep! I was sick with fear because, of course, I'd been told "oh, they'll DIE if you sleep them on their tummies." But he was sleeping, and that was a wonderful thing for all of us.

That's when we started co-sleeping. I wasn't going to take the chance of something awful happening if I could prevent it!

[mom_hanna]

We put both dd and ds to sleep on their bellies from a few weeks old. It's the only way either one of them would sleep. Neither one would tolerate swaddling. I worried for about 20 minutes until I realized how well they slept.

[SnuggleBuggles]

LOL! I was just thinking to myself the other day how no one has come right out and told me they let their dc tummy sleep but when I say I do almost evryone has admitted to it. I had 1 friend that admitted it before and said how well her dd had been sleeping. So during one really rough night with ds (4wo at the time) when dh was sick and I was desperate I flipped him over and got like 5 hours of sleep.

My dh hates it. The whole breathing in more co2 thus unable to rouse ones self has him very uncomfortable. The above mentioned friend gave us her Angel Care monitor when she heard we had come over to the dark side but dh doesn't trust it.

So, ds has been going to his crib on his side and sleeping well, actually, for the 1st half of the night. The second half he is more restless so he sleeps with us on his tummy.

There, I admitted it. It makes me nervous but I do it.

Beth

[vludmilla]

I'll say that not only did I let DD sleep on her tummy sometimes, my neonatologist (DD was a 32-week preemie) recommended it!!!!
He said that she may have gotten used to sleeping on her tummy in the NICU and that I might need to let her sleep that way at home. I was shocked at the time but he explained that the risks are not as pronounced as all the warnings make it seem. There is SOME risk but if a baby is miserable sleeping any other way then it is okay to do. So, I would do it again if I needed to.
HTH
-Victoria

[JoyNChrist]

Me!

Starting at about 6 weeks. But I was too nervous about it, and when I discovered around 8 weeks that he slept just as well in the swing, that's where he stayed for months.

Now that he's in the crib, he's a dedicated tummy sleeper.

[overcome]

From about 3 months....it changed my life b/c it REALLY helped her to sleep.

THere are lots of other risk factors to SIDS...living with smokers, premees (sp?), and I believe african americans are at a higher risk too...if you can rule any of these out, it should make you feel a little better.

[MamaMolly]

One of my mom friends does because her DD absolutely wouldn't sleep on her back. She also used the Angel Care monitor.

HTH,

[bubbaray]

I didn't -- but I did co-sleep, which is becoming just as forbidden as tummy sleeping....

But if I had twins (not to mention 2 other children!), I'd probably try pretty much everything just to get some sleep happening!

I would probably try to borrow an Angel Care monitor from someone and see if they still sleep well. If so, man, I'd be buyin' one of those puppies and putting them on their tummies so fast if would make your head spin.

I'm completely anal and paranoid about safety, but it also isn't safe for you as the mom to be completely sleep deprived either. I vote monitor and tummies and sleep for all!

Good luck!

[jawilli4]

I'll freely admit that I put DD to sleep on her stomach starting around 6 weeks. She was in the low risk category for true SIDS and I had just finished reading The Death of Innocents about the origination of the "SIDS" label and its sickening connection to Munchausen Syndrome by Prozy (when a parent, usually a mother, harms or kills a child, usually to get attention.) It's a heartbreaking read, but put me at ease about DD.

Here's a link to the book if anyone wants it: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Innocents-Medicine-High-Stake-Science/dp/0553379771

[ShanaMama]

DD would only sleep on her tummy, but I was so paranoid that the only way I let her sleep that way was on my tummy. Of course, I didn't sleep much that way, so I finally gave in around 3-4 weeks, and she started sleeping beautifully. I didn't allow myself to feel guilty about it either. I am well aware of the risk of SIDS, but I figured 10 years ago they were telling everyone it's safer on the tummy. You gotta do what you gotta do!