Belly Sleeping

by Anonymous

My son is 7 months old. I have always put him to sleep on his back. In doing so he has always been a very loud sleeper.(Snoring, frequent wake ups, strange breathing sounds) So I decided at nap time to let him sleep on his stomach. Consequently he had a very peaceful sleep, none of the sounds he use to make. Although it makes me nervous I think he is ready to be a belly sleeper. Any advice??

Baby Help Line response:

Hi!

The general rule of thumb for belly sleepng is that it is best if the baby sleeps on his back during the first year. That said, when a baby starts rolling over himself, there really isn't much you can do about it. Sleep positioners have turned out to not be completely safe and like your son, most babies (and humans in general...) seem to sleep better on their belly.

It is also a fact that some 80% of all cases of SIDS occur before the age of 6 months.

Why am I telling you all this...? Well, I think you should be aware of that the risk for SIDS is still higher for your son if he sleeps on his belly than on his back. But the risk is probably minimal if you follow these safety guidelines to prevent SIDS.

Can your baby roll over easily from belly to back? If he can, then it is probably OK for him to sleep on his belly. If he can't yet, then wait a couple of weeks until he can. At least that's what I would do.

Hope this helps!

/Paula

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