Stomach sleeping baby: what do you need to know about it?
Baby sleeping on their stomach... It can cause parents significant worry. It is well known that babies are supposed to sleep on their backs, but it is always possible that your little one rolls onto their stomach in their sleep. When is this safe, and when is it necessary to take action if this happens? The most important thing parents worry about is, of course, the risk of SIDS, and rightly so. We would like to tell you more about babies sleeping on their stomachs and how best to deal with it.
When can a baby sleep on their tummy?
It is crucial to have babies sleep on their backs during their first year of life. In the early stages, your child is not yet able to roll over in their sleep. If you place your baby on their back in the crib, they will at most roll onto their side in their sleep, and that is fine. However, your baby will eventually learn to roll over, and that is the moment when you, as a parent, will start to worry. When can a baby sleep on their stomach? If your baby rolls onto their stomach on their own, you can let them do so from the age of about 6 months. By then, the risk of SIDS has significantly decreased, and your baby is capable of rolling over on their own. Do you still find it scary? Understandable! In this case, you can use a sleep wrap to ensure your child stays on their back.
Sleep wrap
In the Snoozzz sleep wrap, your baby sleeps safely on their back or side. It provides your little one with the same sense of security as in the womb and ensures your baby sleeps better. The sleep wrap is easy to use and fits any mattress.
View the Sleep Wrap here
Baby rolls onto their tummy in their sleep: what should you do?
Your baby rolls onto their tummy in their sleep, and your first thought is that you need to roll your baby back immediately. This is not necessary. One of the first milestones in your baby's development is learning to roll over. Some babies learn this after 3 months, while others take half a year. Every baby develops differently. The risk of SIDS decreases significantly once your baby has learned to roll over. As a parent, you naturally do not want to take any risks. Is your baby early with rolling over? Then use a sleep wrap to prevent your baby from rolling onto their tummy in their sleep. You can continue using a good sleep wrap until the age of 24 months, depending on the size of your child.
Safe sleep for your baby
There are babies who clearly prefer sleeping on their stomachs rather than on their backs. Is tummy sleeping okay for your baby if they want to do it themselves? No, certainly not before your child turns one year old. Until the age of 12 months, it is important to ensure that your child falls asleep on their back. If your child rolls onto their stomach in their sleep, you can let this happen or prevent it with the right aids. Above all, you want to ensure safe sleep for your baby, so always place your baby on their back in the crib to go to sleep. By placing their arms stretched out to the side, you can also prevent your baby from easily rolling over in their sleep. Babies who sleep on their backs also suffer less from ear infections, stuffy noses, and fever.
Another factor that plays a role is the mattress your baby sleeps on. A good baby mattress is very important. Your baby spends a lot of the first period of his life lying down. It is undesirable for him to be uncomfortable during that entire time.
What about the risk of SIDS?
Once your baby can roll over, the high-risk period for SIDS is generally over. The highest risk of SIDS exists between 2 and 4 months of age, during which most babies are not yet able to roll over on their own.That being said, it is important to have your baby sleep on their back until the age of 12 months. According to experts, babies who can easily roll from their backs to their stomachs have a significantly reduced risk of SIDS. They indicate that babies who have developed the strength and mobility to easily change position are also sufficiently developed to sense discomfort while sleeping, allowing them to protect themselves better. If they notice that they are having difficulty breathing, they will roll back onto their backs or sides on their own.
Use a sleep wrap or sleeping bag
Experts indicate that it is therefore safe enough to let your child lie on their tummy if your baby has rolled onto their tummy on their own. However, parents naturally view this differently.It is your child, after all, and you don't want your child to become an 'exception to the rule'. Understandable! Fortunately, there are things you can do yourself to prevent your baby from sleeping on their tummy. Make use of a Snoozzz sleep wrap or a baby sleeping bag to prevent your baby from rolling onto their tummy in their sleep. That way, you, as worried parents, will also sleep much more peacefully!
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