Naps - won't nap on back

[deborah_r]

I don't want to start a debate about tummy sleeping here, I know I really shouldn't do it, but I just want to know why he can nap 3 hours on his tummy, and only 20-40 minutes on his back? Doesn't this mean he's not comfortable on his back?

I'm only talking about naps, because for nighttime sleep, we co-sleep, he sleeps on his side mostly. I try to put him on his back and he eventually rolls over toward me.

[MartiesMom2B]

I have friends who allow their children to tummy nap. PM or e-mail Lizajane and have her tell you what her ped. said about napping on the tummy. I think you'll find reassurance on tummy napping.

BTW, when I co-slept with Martie she always slept on her side towards me.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[deborah_r]

Thank you! I was almost afraid to post about tummy sleeping on the other board, and with the way things are going today, I had reason to be. But when I wasn't getting much response here, I did post in the
Lounge and I think Liza poted in response!

I'm typing in relative darkness, w/o my glasses (ds knocks into them wghen he's cranky and flailing, like he is now), one-handed, holding ds, so sorry if there's typos!

[chrissyhowie]

I think that some people are just not back sleepers (my DH, for instance, while I like to be flat on it!). Before she could get herself to that position herself, in my mind maybe DD was waking herself up because while the desire to get to the side or back position was there, she didn't know how to do it. She'd often startle herself awake, so we actually began swaddling tightly again at around 2-3 months until she could turn by herself. Once Chloe learned to roll over, we couldn't keep her on her back. She'd automatically flip to be on her stomach or side if you put her down that way. Especially if he's rolling on his own, I don't think there's a problem. During naps you could always check on him here and there to make sure he's okay.

HTH,

[houseof3boys]

I think you should try it with Kai and see how he does. When I take a nap with Ryan, he naps on his side or on his tummy and seems to sleep much more soundly!

On another note, I think the debates are probably over. With all of that back and forth battling with a few of those threads, I cannot imagine it starting up again! Here's hoping...

[colinml]

Hi,
First, I think that once they start rolling themselves, there's not much you can do anyway to keep them on their backs, so I wouldn't worry.

As to the question, though, I recall reading that the concern over tummy sleeping is that babies do, in fact, tend to sleep more deeply on their tummies. One theory about SIDS is that this sleep may be too sound and babies might have difficulty coming out of it. At any rate, it makes sense that your baby would be able to knock off a 3 hour nap because sleeping on his tummy allows him to go into deeper sleep cycles. Sorry, I don't remember the reference...too many baby books over the last 2 years...
Colin

[lmariana]

My son is a tummy napper, and once I came to terms with it, my ped. suggested the Bebe Sounds Anglecare monitor to ease my worries. It's a monitor that sounds an alarm if your baby doesn't breath for 20 seconds or more.

There's two versions, one that's $99 and can also serve as your primary sound monitor, and one that $49 that only beeps in the baby's room. I have the cheaper one, because I can hear the beeping over our other Fisher Price monitor.

We've had a few false alarms (thank goodness), but I'd rather have a hundred of those than to have something bad happen. If you're a worrier (like me) this is a good investment.

Hope this helps a bit!

Mariana
Mother of Gabriel

http://www.heinzandmariana.com/baby_pics/102003_7.jpg

[justlearning]

The explanation about SIDS and the deep sleeping while on tummies was interesting--I didn't realize that.

I also have concluded that tummy sleeping must be more comfortable than back sleeping because DS started sleeping through the night and taking longer naps two months ago--exactly at the time that he started always rolling over onto his tummy and sleeping that way (even though I intially tried to roll him back onto his back or side). The way that he sleeps on his tummy doesn't look that comfortable to me, though, with his legs pulled up to his stomach and his bottom sticking up in the air. It's so cute, though! :)

[colinml]

I should have mentioned that we (my wife and I) were both very nervous about letting Zachary sleep on his tummy. It was our ped who told us that once they start rolling there's nothing to be done anyway. I didn't mean to sound like I was so confident. ...cause I wasn't. I later found the article about tummy sleeping and deeper sleep. Still can't remember where I read it, though.

[deborah_r]

Thanks everyone - I haven't been back in here in a while. This has pretty much resolved itself as he has settled on sleeping on his side for now AND he falls asleep all on his own without rocking, so I don't have to do the "move-him-to-his-crib-while-asleep" maneuver, which is usual when he would startle if layed on his back.