5 mo old rolling on tummy while sleeping

[Winter]

Hi Everyone,

My daughter is 5 months old now and is rolling from back to tummy only. She can hold her head up pretty high but can not roll from tummy to back. She is now rolling all over her crib getting limbs caught in crib slats and sleeping on her tummy face down into the mattress.

I just purchased a mesh crib bumper which should help the limb issue. I am really concerned about her laying face down because of sids. I also have a monitor that will go off if she quits breathing for 20 seconds.

Anyone have a similar experience? How did you deal with it? Did it last long? She is also waking us up often as she gets stuck in the corner of the crib or hits her head. Poor baby.

I am probably overreacting at this point but it is extremely hard not to worry.

Thanks for your input,
Winter

[Liann]

Winter - I think it was around this time that I stopped using Akadia's back positioner with her and she started sleeping on her side and tummy. As long as she can roll from side to side and move her head, she should be fine. I know they always say not to put them on their tummy because of SIDS but it really has nothing to do with SIDS. SIDS is going to either happen or not. They have no idea what causes it or why it happens. I had a friend in another forum who lost her daughter at 6 months to SIDS and there was no rhyme or reason to it. The truth is that having them on their tummy or with bumpers or covers, pillows, etc.. increases their chance of suffocation not SIDS. I wish they would be more clear on that and stop lumping it all together. I would be more worried if she was not able to roll from side to side and not able to control her head at all.

[Winter]

She can lift her head and move from side to side. She often prefers it just a little to the side. She doesn't roll from side to side that I can tell. She goes from back to tummy. Sometimes though she is on her side when we wake up - up against the crib slats though.

I am so sad for your friend. I try not to let worry get the best of me. SIDS is really rare but it happens. I also had a friend that lost a 1 1/2 month old to SIDS. They brought the baby into bed with them. Because of this it is so rare that I let Lainey sleep with me in the morning. There is nothing I would love better than having her sleep with me every night for awhile but no way.

Thanks for the response.

[Liann]

My friend in the other forum had her baby the same month I had Akadia so it really hit home when she passed away. She was just taking a nap in her crib - on her back. She did not suffocate, so crib bumbers, covers, pillows, etc. weren't the cause (even though they weren't there anyways). I actually started sleeping with Akadia after that. I would just stare at her and check on her all night long to make sure she was still breathing. It really made me a paranoid mess for a while.

[melmeadows]

Amber -- so sorry for your friend, that is heart breaking, I just can't imagine loosing my boy.

On another note -- back when my brother and I came around (70's) we were put to sleep on our tummies. Funny how times change ; )
Melanie

[Liann]

Originally Posted by melmeadows

On another note -- back when my brother and I came around (70's) we were put to sleep on our tummies. Funny how times change ; )
Melanie

So true! My mother said they were always told to put their babies on their tummies. That is how I slept from day 1.

[jaypea]

I actually put Nicholas (2 months old) on his stomach until he falls asleep then flip him over. That's the only way he falls asleep. When he is downstairs with me during the day, he takes naps on his tummy. This is my 3rd child, and I did this with all three. He has great neck control, and he always turns his head from side to side a few times before he goes to sleep.
-Jen

[nkhansen1]

My pediatrician said that if my babies could flip over on their tummies to sleep then they were fine to stay there. I never worried about it.

[mini-natty]

Originally Posted by nkhansen1

My pediatrician said that if my babies could flip over on their tummies to sleep then they were fine to stay there. I never worried about it.

I was told the same thing

IMO, society really makes first-time parents paranoid about so many things. Try to relax and enjoy that precious time...........it's over real quick

Congrats,

Natasha