How To Get Your Baby To Sleep On Their Back
Consistency is the best technique to get your baby to sleep on their back. Swaddling your baby can help them feel more secure, which is one of the things they seek when they roll on to their stomach. Use a swaddling blanket until your baby is old enough to remove it on their own. Once this happens, which could be as early as two months old, you can use a sleeping sack meant for babies, which they won’t be able to take off.
To help your baby sleep on their back, try rocking them in your arms before placing them in their crib. If your baby falls asleep in their car seat, sling, stroller, or any other surface, make sure you place them in their crib as soon as possible. The crib should have a firm mattress and fitted sheet.
To make sleeping in a crib safer for your baby, avoid using blankets, comforters, or pillows. You should also keep their crib clear of other objects such as bottles, cups, toys, and teethers. Additionally, making sure that your baby isn’t exposed to smoke can further decrease the risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding has been found to decrease the risk of SIDS. If you’ve already stopped breastfeeding, it’s even more important to take preventative measures against SIDS.
Sids Risk Linked To Lack Of Experience With Tummy
Babies who never sleep on their stomachs dont learn behaviors that may lessen their risk of sudden infant death syndrome , researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found. Even so, the researchers caution that infants should always be placed on their backs to sleep.
The first few times babies who usually sleep on their backs or sides shift to the prone position, they have a 19-fold increased risk of sudden death, says senior author Bradley T. Thach, M.D., a Washington University pediatrician at St. Louis Childrens Hospital. We wondered if these babies, finding themselves face down, fail to turn their heads to breathe easier. If so, is that because their reflexes havent developed far enough or because they just dont wake up?
Thach and his colleagues studied 38 healthy infants aged 3 to 37 weeks. Half of the babies usually slept prone or had a history of turning prone during sleep. The other babies had never slept prone. The study is reported in the December issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The researchers constructed a moderately asphyxiating surface, a comforter placed over a foam rubber mattress with a two-inch deep circular depression that would lie directly beneath the babys face. When babies sleep face down on the surface, they rebreath air they have exhaled, and this air can have high amounts of carbon dioxide. A catheter taped beneath the babies noses allowed monitoring of carbon dioxide levels.
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You Might Misalign Your Spine
The best sleep position is one that supports healthy spinal alignment. When you sleep on your stomach, your torso naturally sinks deeper into the mattress because of its weight. As a result, your back might arch, stretching your spine out of neutral alignment. When your spine is not aligned, you experience stress and strain, which may lead to aches and pains upon waking.
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Will My Baby Choke If Placed On The Back To Sleep
No. Healthy babies naturally swallow or cough up fluidsit’s a reflex all people have. Babies may actually clear such fluids better when sleeping on their backs because of the location of the opening to the lungs in relation to the opening to the stomach. There has been no increase in choking or similar problems for babies who sleep on their backs.
When the baby is in the back sleep position, the trachea lies on top of the esophagus . Anything regurgitated or refluxed from the stomach through the esophagus has to work against gravity to enter the trachea and cause choking. When the baby is sleeping on its stomach, such fluids will exit the esophagus and pool at the opening for the trachea, making choking much more likely.
Cases of fatal choking are very rare except when related to a medical condition. The number of fatal choking deaths has not increased since back sleeping recommendations began. In most of the few reported cases of fatal choking, an infant was sleeping on his or her stomach.
Dont Assume The Mellow Sleepy Newborn Phase Will Last Forever
We hate to break it to you, but your dozy, peaceful infant who simply falls asleep, milk-drunk, after a feeding may not always be this way. The first few weeks are not always indicative of the kind of sleeper you happened to score in the newborn sleep lottery. Some babies randomly sleep through the night early on but it doesnt mean this will continue indefinitely. Have you weathered the four-month sleep regression yet? Yeah, you might want to read up on that. And even though nursing to sleep or rocking to sleep before naps and bedtime might be working for you now, know that sometimes IT JUST STOPS WORKING. If youre one of the lucky parents with a unicorn baby , try not to gloat. It doesnt necessarily mean that youre doing it right, while that other mom with the colicky, sleepless baby hasnt figured it out. Believe us, shes trying.
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Risks Of Sleeping On Your Stomach While Pregnant
During the first trimester of pregnancy, you might sleep comfortably in your normal sleep position. As your stomach grows, however, sleeping on your stomach might become uncomfortable. This discomfort could interfere with sleep. Over time, lower-quality sleep can lead to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation during pregnancy can increase your risk of experiencing premature birth, longer and more painful labor, and postpartum depression.
Instead of stomach sleeping, healthcare providers recommend pregnant people sleep on their left side. This position keeps pressure off the liver as well as the vein that carries blood from the legs back to the heart. It also improves blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys. Using a pregnancy pillow to support the abdomen and cushion the legs can make side sleeping more comfortable.
Ok But Why Is It Important To Put My Baby To Sleep On Their Back
A lot of evidence shows that lying your baby on their back to sleep significantly reduces their risk of sudden infant death syndrome .
“You should put them in this position for every single sleep or nap.”
This is because the chance of SIDS is particularly high in babies who are only sometimes placed on their front or side .
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When I Was A Baby I Was Put On My Stomach To Sleep Was That Wrong
No. Caregivers were following advice based on the evidence available at that time. Since then research has shown that sleeping on the stomach increases the risk for SIDS. This research also shows that sleeping on the back carries the lowest risk of SIDS, and that’s why the recommendation is “back is best.”
What If The Baby Rolls Over And Cannot Roll Back
When babies begin rolling, either awake or in their sleep, parents and caregivers may worry that they will get stuck on their stomach, increasing the risk of suffocation.
However, once an infant can roll onto their stomach, they have enough head control to lift their head and breathe. Rolling from the stomach to the back is usually easier, too, so if a baby can roll onto their stomach, they can roll back.
Due to this, there is no need to roll infants back once they can roll over. Babies sleep best and safest when they can find a comfortable sleeping position on their own. However, it is important to make sure that their crib is safety tested and does not have coverings that can trap the infants head.
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Do Not Let Your Baby Get Too Hot Or Too Cold
Overheating can increase the risk of SIDS. Babies can overheat because of too much bedding or clothing, or because the room is too hot.
- When you check your baby, make sure they’re not too hot. If your baby is sweating or their tummy feels hot to the touch, take off some of the bedding. Do not worry if their hands or feet feel cool this is normal.
- It’s easier to adjust for the temperature by using layers of lightweight blankets. Remember, a folded blanket counts as 2 blankets. Lightweight, well-fitting baby sleeping bags are a good choice, too.
- Babies do not need hot rooms. All-night heating is rarely necessary. Keep the room at a temperature that’s comfortable for you at night about 18C is ideal.
- If it’s very warm, your baby may not need any bedclothes other than a sheet.
- Even in winter, most babies who are unwell or feverish do not need extra clothes.
- Babies should never sleep with a hot water bottle or electric blanket, next to a radiator, heater or fire, or in direct sunshine.
- Babies lose excess heat through their heads, so make sure their heads cannot be covered by bedclothes while they’re asleep.
- Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors or enter a warm car, bus or train, even if it means waking your baby.
Place Your Baby On Their Back To Sleep
Place your baby on their back to sleep from the very beginning for both day and night sleeps. This will reduce the risk of cot death.
It’s not as safe for babies to sleep on their side or tummy as on their back. Healthy babies placed on their backs are not more likely to choke.
Once your baby is old enough to roll over, there’s no need to worry if they turn onto their tummy or side while sleeping.
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Is It Okay If Baby Rolls Onto His Stomach While Hes Sleeping
It can be nerve-wracking to peer into the crib or bassinet and see that your baby has wriggled onto his tummy or side especially the first time. But dont panic: Its okay for your baby to roll over in his sleep, and if he does, you dont have to move him.
Most babies master the art of rolling over between the ages of 3 and 6 months. And once they do, many decide that they prefer to sleep on their stomachs or sides.
Thankfully, you dont have to worry about repositioning him onto his back. Once your little one is capable of rolling and changing positions easily, hes strong and agile enough to protect himself against the factors that make tummy sleeping dangerous for younger babies.
In short, babies who can roll themselves over and back are at a significantly decreased risk of SIDS, which experts believe is because babies with that ability have also developed the maturity to sense trouble during sleep and move into a safer position.
That said, even if your baby changes position at night, you should continue putting him down to sleep on his back until his first birthday.
And of course, you should continue sticking with other safe sleep guidelines like putting your baby down on a firm surface and keeping the crib free of any other objects, including blankets, pillows, bumpers, loose-fitting sheets and stuffed toys.
Feeding Dummies And Sids
Breastfeeding your baby reduces the risk of SIDS.
It’s possible using a dummy at the start of a sleep also reduces the risk of SIDS. But the evidence is not strong and not all experts agree that dummies should be promoted.
If you do use a dummy, do not start until breastfeeding is well established. This is usually when your baby is around 1 month old.
Stop giving them the dummy when they’re between 6 and 12 months old.
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Why Is Stomach Sleeping Dangerous
SIDS is more likely among babies placed on their stomachs to sleep than among those sleeping on their backs. Babies also should not be placed on their sides to sleep. A baby can easily roll from a side position onto the belly during sleep.
Some researchers believe that stomach sleeping may block the airway and hurt breathing. Stomach sleeping can increase “rebreathing” when a baby breathes in his or her own exhaled air particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face. As the baby rebreathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and the level of carbon dioxide rises.
Infants who die from SIDS may have a problem with the part of the brain that helps control breathing and waking during sleep. If a baby is breathing stale air and not getting enough oxygen, the brain usually triggers the baby to wake up and cry to get more oxygen. If the brain is not picking up this signal, oxygen levels will continue to fall.
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Dont Let Your Newborn Sleep In The Car Seat
This is a contentious one, because weve all been there: Your baby conks out in the car seat while youre driving home or running errands, and the beauty of the bucket seat is that you can pop it out and transfer your sleeping infant inside for the remainder of her nap. But according to the AAP, allowing an infant to sleep in a bucket car seat thats been placed on the floor or clicked into a stroller is a safety hazard, as the babys head can fall forward and cause something called positional asphyxiation. Due to the angle of the seat design, its much safer to let your newborn nap in the car seat while its attached to the base and installed in the car. Letting your baby sleep in a car seat overnight when youre not awake enough to check on her is a serious baby sleep mistake. In fact, experts actually recommend limiting the time your baby spends in a car seat, bouncer or swing to 30 minutes, mostly for developmental reasons and the risk of developing positional plagiocephaly . However, wed like to acknowledge that this 30-minute maximum is downright impossible on road trips, for parents who have long work or daycare commutes, or when the swing is truly the only place you can get your infant to nap. Wed love to see some more research on this recommendation.
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About Safe Sleep Policy Makers
Who are AAP policy-makers? The Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics on Fetus and Newborn established the AAP Safe Sleep Task Force in the 1990s and currently monitors their work. The members of the AAP Safe Sleep Task Force write the AAP Safe Sleep Policies and Guidelines. The Task Force consists of five physicians who volunteer their time and expertise to make sense of the available data. Unfortunately, these scientists are not without their bias. For example, before the updated policy in 2016, a new doctor was added specializing in breastfeeding. There is a new heightened awareness of the importance of breastfeeding to reduce the risk of SIDS. Eventhoug, there are no gold standard scientific studies to support breastfeeding to prevent SIDS / SUID.
The AAP does not endorse, certify or recommend certain products. In addition, the AAP restricts interactions with manufacturers, making it difficult for manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe for consumers.
Randomized Case Controlled Studies vs. Retrospective Analysis
AAP safe sleep policies are based on a retrospective analysis of infant deaths. These investigations may be flawed. Actual scientific tests are not carried out to prove SIDS theories, as unethical tests would be required. Dr. James Kemp, who used baby bunnies, carried out the closest test showing rebreathing of carbon dioxide as a probable cause of SUID / SIDS.
My Baby Prefers To Sleep On Tummy Is This Ok
Parents are often concerned when their child prefers to sleep on their tummy. Unless your doctor says otherwise, its best to let your baby sleep in a position she prefers. If baby doesnt settle well or stay on her back or side, front sleeping is all right. Also, you may find that your baby prefers different sleep positions at different ages. After all, there is meaningful wisdom of the body, even in a baby. If baby repeatedly doesnt settle in a certain sleeping position, this may be a clue that this position may not be the safest for this individual baby. This is just one example of how babies often try to tell us what is in their best interest. Parents should not be afraid to listen.
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Why Some Infants Who Sleep On Their Stomach Are At Higher Risk
Most of us know the frightening feeling of a heavy blanket or pillow over our faces. This feeling forces a natural trigger to remove the object blocking oxygen. In addition, we do not worry about sleeping on our big fluffy pillows, pillow-top mattresses with our down quilts. Why? Because we have an innate sense to turn our head, even in deep sleep, when our breathing is compromised by the accumulation of carbon dioxide.
Like adults, most infants turn their heads or fight to get something off their faces when carbon dioxide begins to cause breathing difficulties. But unfortunately, some infants do not!
A crib mattress eliminating the buildup of carbon dioxide saves lives.
Serotonin and rebreathing
In 2010, a group of scientists discovered the first direct correlation between SIDS / SUID deaths and serotonin levels. This finding was discoverd by studying the brain stems of infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Serotonin is a brain chemical that conveys messages between cells and plays a crucial role in regulating breathing, heart rate and sleep. Researchers theorize serotonin abnormalities reduce an infants ability to respond to breathing difficulties, including low oxygen levels or high carbon dioxide levels. The leading scientist suggests SIDS is the result of infants rebreathing carbon dioxide accumulation in thier bedding and on their mattresses while sleeping on thier stomach.
Hypothalamus and rebreathing
- Asphyxia
- Hypoxia