4 Month Old Rolling over During the Night

If she's rolling on her own, she should be fine.

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My son did the exact same thing. Only a lot of nights he would wake up because he couldn't roll back over on his back (which I have to tell you was so exhausting). The pediatrician said that once they start to roll over by themselves that you shouldn't worry. It's natural. However perhaps you should move her to her crib now. It will give her more room to wiggle and that way she won't have her face "smashed". Besides most bassinet warning labels say not to let a child sleep in it once they start to roll over.

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I am one of the silent rebels who lets their baby sleep on their tummy. With my first child, I had to fight him to get him to sleep on his back but I did it and we struggled with sleep problems, until I let him sleep on his tummy. It was a nightmare. Now I have a nine month old who I put on her stomach from birth. She has never had a problem sleeping and in fact, slept completely through the night by three months. I believe tummy sleeping is their natural instinct (so does the rest of the world by the way). Yes, SIDS is a risk. But, so is everything. I think you have to personally weigh it. Make sure she does not have blankets over her head and has the ability to control her neck well, and monitor it. Trust your instincts about what is best.

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I have been told that if they are rolling over on their own it isn't anything to worry about. The concern for them sleeping on their belly's is that they won't be able to lift their head or roll over if they start to suffacate, but if she is able to roll over on her own this isn't as big of a concern. My son would only sleep on his stomach after about 4 months old and I let him because he was able to roll over. The doc said this is fine.

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J.,

I agree with what most every mom said. If she can turn over, by herself, then she is ready and probably more comfortable on her tummy. My son still sleeps on his tummy with his bottom sticking up on the air! The only additional thing I would add is that I noticed you said she is still sleeping in a bassinet. If it is a small or plush bassinet, you need to switch her to a play pen or crib. I wouldn't spend money on a sleep positioner. She will use it for such a short period of time and if she is sleeping comfortably on her own, she doesn't need it. As others have said, remove everything from the crib including bumpers. One lightweight blanket is okay, but not necessary if her pj's are warm enough. Congratulations on her big accomplishment.

Theresa

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My first son only slept on his stomach. My second only slept on his back & still does. I've always given in to what they want because once they are old enough to roll themselves over they are old enough to start figuring out what they want. As others have said just make certain there aren't any stuffed animals or bumper pads in the bed. I never took their blankets away, I just made certain there weren't too many. Good luck!

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Our dr said that as long as the baby put herself in that position, it was ok. Just make sure you don't have any blankets she can get caught up in.

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My oldest did the same thing and our pediatrician told me what some of the other moms here are saying...it's okay. The only other thing I'd like to add is that it seems like it is time to move her to a regular sized bed. My daughter was around 3 months old when she would roll over in her sleep. Our pediatrician told us to put her in a regular bed with more room and no blankets. This way when she rolled over she was not against the side of the bed. At 6 months she became a wiggly worm, but by then she was rolling over both ways. Four months old is old enough to transition to a baby bed from the bassinet. You are supposed to do that anyway when they start to roll over. Enjoy your little girl's progression and good luck. God Bless.

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congratulations on your baby, and on passing one of the first milestones!
Amusingly enough, what doctors think about sleep positions change dramatically over years. My oldest daughter who will be 21, was placed on her back, because S.I.D.s could be caused by weight of the baby laying on it's lungs when on it's stomach(or some stupid thing). Then with my next daughter, who will be 18 in a week, they said, NEVER NEVER place a baby on it's back,because of reflux and choking; or it's stomach. Rather use a wedge (sold at most retailers of baby items) to keep the baby on it's side. Then my son came along, and they said put the baby on it's stomach.
*sigh*
He took that right out of our hands by rolling to his back and throwing his arm above his head to go to sleep, around 4 or 5 months old. Our doctor shrugged at that point and said it's ok if he's able to get there himself.
I suspect they will change their minds about that attitude sometime in the near future. :)

I think she will be fine if she is rolling into that position on her own.

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My daughter did the same. She was very mobile very early. I worried too, but her pediatrician said that since she was so mobile she could move herself out of a bad position in her crib if she got into one. She was up at least once during the night through 8 months, so getting up with her for that was my little 'assurance' that she was okay at night.

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i've always heard that once they're rolling over on their own, it's fine. not much you can do anyway- once you're asleep you know she'll roll right back over! my son was a horrible sleeper until we put him on his tummy, and then he started sleeping through the night. scared me to death (we're all paranoid at first!) but he did fine. and we both got to sleep! let her sleep in her bassinette and try not to worry - i was a constant night-checker so i understand. congratulations on your precious little girl!

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I feel like I'm reading my own journal! Our daughter did the exact same thing - hated being on her tummy, learned to roll from back to front first, ironically, and at 4 months started sleeping on her tummy with her face buried in her hands or against the side of her bassinet. We ended up putting her in her crib without the bumpers because I was paranoid about her not being able to breathe. She's 8 1/2 months old now and still sleeps on her tummy and buries her head in the corner of her crib, silly girl! She's fine though. Even if your daughter isn't great at rolling back over, she's strong enough to push her face up if she is having trouble breathing. It's a scary time for you, I know, but she'll probably be fine.

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J.,
My son was the same way. We went to Babies R Us and got a sleep positioner that had a slight incline to it. We also swaddled him, which helped. Though I've heard some babies aren't big fans of that once they are over 3 months or so, but it's worth a shot. We swaddled my son and he slept better. We swaddled him until he was nearly 9 months old. I hope this helps.

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That is when my older daughter started sleeping on her stomach. I couldn't keep her on her back, nor was I going to roll her back all through the night. She is still a belly sleeper at 2.5 yrs.

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J., Your daughter should be fine, if she is rolling over to that position she's just making herself comfortable. I assume she is able to lift her head so that she could turn to one side or the other if she needs to. They do make sleep positioners. They are two triangler shaped pillows that you put on both sides of baby to keep them on their side. I also have used two hand towels rolled tightly to get the same effect.

M.

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Hey J., It looks like you've already gotten some great responses, but I'll weigh on this as well since my son (now 2) did the EXACT same thing starting at 4 months old and it really stressed me out b/c of all the scary stuff about SIDS. My pediatrician told me I were really bothered by it could gently roll him back to his back but if that didn't work (never did, he would roll back over) but that if a baby has the strength to roll onto his/her stomach, they also have the neck strength to prevent themselves from being in a suffocating situation. My son also used to look like his face was mashed flat into the crib mattress but again my ped. quelled my fears saying that newborns are built to be able to breath even with their noses squished flat b/c this is how they breath when they nurse. Even now my son is frequently on his tummy. Hope this helps and you sleep easier now, too!

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I would start putting her in the crib to sleep at all times the bassinet is to confing at this age now,use no bumper blankets pillow's or stuffed animal's in the crib nothing but baby.If she is rolling over onto her stomach there is more room in the crib for her to attepmt to roll over onto her back.Lay her on back at all times and have her practice rolling over daily she'll get the hang of it soon,also if she is rolling over now but get's up crying because she is on her back filp her back over.I wouldn't recommened a sleep positioner.

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My baby did this too at about the same time. I was concerned about SIDS since you're told not to let a baby sleep on their belly. I was told & pretty much assumed, that if they can flip onto their belly, they're strong enough to lift their head or move into a different position in the event their breathing became obstructed. I also thought about positioners but in the end I decided that I'd just be delaying the inevitable: babies move around while sleeping, like we do.

You might have a mover like I do. My baby can't wait to learn how to achieve the next milestone. She's constantly wiggling around! Soon, your baby will be able to move in a modified crawl & you'll find her in totally different spots in her crib than where you put her down. My baby would crawl into corners and smash her face against the bumper pad & cry! We thought about doing all kinds of things to keep her in place b/c we thought she was stuck. Well, she was stuck but had to figure it out on her own how to deal with it. Even when we'd put her back in the middle of the crib, within 20 minutes, she'd be right back in a corner. Now we just let her move around & when she cries, we let her cry it out. She still gets into corners, but doesn't cry like she did before. Eventually, she'll figure out how to get back to the middle of the crib.

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Hi J., congrads on the new arrival. I have two boys that both would only sleep on there tummies. I understand your concern with her laying her little face down into the bedding that would scare me too. I do know you can buy the positioners that helps prop baby up on their sides, they are like two triangles that velcro together, and baby lays in between the triangles which stops them from rolling over.You can buy these at Wal-mart and sure any store that carries baby items. Or try the swaddle blankets if she likes being in those that may help. Good luck with the bundle of joy. -A.-

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I understand what you are going through. My 5 month old son just started doing the same thing. We have a positioner that we got at Target that goes along the sides of him and that way he can't get himself over to his stomach. The brand is Sassy if I remember correctly. Hope this helps and good luck.

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Yes it's ok to let her roll over and sleep that way. You can't be up all night rolling her back over! However, I would go ahead and move her into a full size crib so she has less of a chance of smashing her face on the side (I wouldn't put bumper pads on). Also, you can get a sleep positioner from Babies R Us that works well too and is inexpensive.

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I have a 4 month old son and he has been sleeping on his stomach for almost a month and half. He sleeps really well on this tummy. If she is putting herself there, then more than likely she will move herself if she needs to. I do check on him constantly but, if they can roll over and lift and turn their heads I feel like they are fine. It's a big step going from back to tummy, just another milestone reached!

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Hi J., Please be careful with sleep positioners. These are very dangerous, especially once baby can roll over. There should be nothing loose in the crib now. And the baby should probably move out of the bassinet if she can roll. The crib is the safest place for her now. She should wear a blanket that zips up the front, this will keep her warm enough and won't be a suffocation hazard. I'll say the same thing everyone else has been saying - once she can roll, she's safe as long as there is nothing else in the crib. Good luck and try not to worry TOO much!

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Wow, she has a harder time rolling onto her back? I've always heard that once little ones know how to roll over the risk of SIDS is greatly diminished. We used a sleep positioner for a while when she was very small because she seemed to like the "close" feeling (ours was just a foam type mat with two "bolsters" that velcroed onto the mat). My youngest, now 2, always seems to sleep on her stomach, with her bottom up in the air! Of course, check with your Dr. to see what s/he says.

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I am no expert, but a mother or 4. My youngest son did this from very early on. I just let him sleep on his stomach. I was a little worried at first, but that is where he always ended up. With my second child we used the little cushion things that would keep them on their side, so I tried that with our 4th--Didn't work. He still rolled onto his stomach. I just made sure that there were no loose blankets, just his comforter for his bed, no toys, etc. He still managed to wiggle over to the edge, on his stomach, near the bumper pads. He is now a healthy, happy almost 5 year old boy.

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It is perfectly okay. Since your little girl is doing this herself then she will be fine sleeping the whole night on her stomach. I asked my doctor the same question when my son was the age of your daughter and that was her response.

A.

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Yeah, I've heard the same. Once the baby rolls over themselves, as opposed to you putting them on their tummy or whatever, it's fine to leave them that way. But if you're overly concerned, buy a sleep positioner.

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It is normal for them to start rolling over to their stomachs. It is also normal for them to have a harder time going from front to back. I would not worry at all about her rolling over in the night. She is doing what is comfortable for her when she is asleep. If she isnt, she will move or cry. I would rest at ease. She will be fine:)

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my son did almost the same thing and i nevedr tried to stop him since if i did he would end up on his tummy by morning. I would try wrapping her up in a blanket that keepts her arms and legs next to her. The doctors at the hospital my son was at said it was good for babies to be wrapped up because it reminded them of the being in the mommys tummy. That might help her to not roll, but if i not i don't think it will hurt her much since my son is 15 months and still sleeps on his tummy alot and he's just fine.

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J.,

I am a first time mom of a wonderful 22 month old little boy. When he started rolling over (it was about the same time as your little one), my pediatrician told me that once he starts rolling over its ok if he sleeps on his stomach. You can't stay up all night and flip your daughter back onto her back, plus, she is old enough now that she would know to reposition herself if she is uncomfortable because she is having trouble breathing. If you are still nervous about it, ask your pediatrician.

L.

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J.~ Hello there. My name is L. and- i am a 1st time mother of an 8 month old baby girl so i can totally relate. I remember those days so clearly.
I know the big thing nowadays is all about "back to sleep" on your baby's back. We had a sleep positioner when Gracie was a newborn and we used it until she was about 3 months old.
You could always get one of those- however i remember when she started doing the same thing in the middle of the night. It totally stressed me out at 1st because obviously the 1st thing i thought of was SIDS, right? But i literally just said a little prayer each night- because- they don't really know the exact cause of SIDS anyways and i just felt-really- that i do what i can to prevent it- but-in the end since we don't know what really casues it-i just have to let her be. Like you said- she rolls right back over anyways. And then- if you are like me- Gracie used to have her face right next to the bumper and i was terrified she would suffocate herself- but by then- they are strong enough with their heads that they can move their heads if they want to or will cry if they are uncomfortable. And i REALLY remember what you are saying about it looking like her face is almost down into the mattress and i remember sticking my finger under her nose to make sure there was space betweeb it and the mattress so she could breathe and also to make sure i could feel air coming out of her nose!
Even now- if i wake up in the middle of the night to go the bathroom or whatever i fi nd myself wandering in there to check on her.
I say- let her roll over - she is obviously comfortable that way. I let my daughter do it and as soon as she started sleeping on her tummy she really started sleeping a lot better through the night. Everyone will tell you differently and i know you worry but i think she will be fine. And she will let you know- either by crying or waking up if she is uncomfortable or stuck.
Trust me = you aren' t alone though. I was just there 4 months ago. It will get easier once you see that- ok- she is fine and she will move if she needs to. Good luck and try not to stress too much so you can get some sleep too!!!!

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my son has been sleeping on his stomach since he was 2 weeks old and he is still kicking. He just prefers it. They do make a dual sleep positioner but my son just rolled over it, it didnt really stop him, i would just monitor her. Try letting her sleep on her tummy during the day and watch to see if she moves herself. if she does ok then, you can try letting her sleep like that at night, or if you really are not comfortable letting her sleep on her tummy, then just put her in her swing till she gets used to sleeping on her back.

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I have 3 kids. My youngest being almost 6 months. all of mine did that, and it's normal. Our pediatrician said as long as they are rolling over by themselves they are ok to sleep on their tummies. So some night she'll fall asleep on her tummy, and others ger really relaxed on her back.

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Get her out of the bassinet!! They are only safe to three months NOT four, and that is why. Put her down in a crib with no blankets, no sheets (except the fitted sheet), no stuffed animals or toys, and no bumper pads, and she should be okay.

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My son did that, too. If they're determined to roll over onto their bellies, there's not much you can do about it. Just make sure that there are not a lot of blankets, or other soft things they could smother themselves in. If they can roll that easily, they are probably strong enough to lift their heads to get air.

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They do make some good sleep positioners. They're very inexpensive. But, I don't think I'd worry about it, honestly. My pediatrician told us with our first baby that 20 yrs ago, they recommended that babies sleep on their belly. Now they recommend that babies sleep on their back. He said to just let your baby sleep. If they're comfortable, then they're fine. My kids have slept on both their backs and their bellies. Just make sure there is no loose bedding or anything near them. I have a sleep positioner and my babies would just roll over it and get comfortable the way they wanted anyways... good luck!!

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She is rolling both on tummy and back she should be fine. You may want to move her from the bassinet to the crib so she doesn't put her head right next to the side of the bassinet. If she tends to sleep next to the crib rails then take out the bumper pads. My kids slept on their side until they rolled over then slept on their tummies too. I had a baby monitor and it was so sensitive that I could actually hear them breathing so that made me feel more comfortable about leaving them on their tummy to sleep as they did sleep longer and also my son spit up a lot so if he was on his back he would choke on his spitup so I felt safer that he was on his side or tummy as the spitup would be more on the sheets instead of all over him and the possiblity of him choking from it. So there is a reason to worry about them sleeping on their backs too. They recommend them to sleep on their sides now and to do that you need a sleep positioner or put rolled up receiving blankets or towels on both sides of the baby to keep them on their sides. When the baby rolls over they will just sleep with that clump of towel or blanket under them and would be uncomfortable so I wouldn't worry too much about her sleeping on her tummy as she can roll herself back over or move her head. They are more worried about the newborn babies that don't have strong head movement or can't roll over and don't recommend them to sleep on their tummy because they can't move themselves out of danger if suffocating.

No stuffed animals..they can roll over on these and can have a hard time getting themselves free or getting their face out of it as it may keep them from being able to roll back over or be right in their face and can't breathe. Another reason is they are dust collectors and can cause your child to have resporitory problems. They seem to contact these problems on their own enough with allergies or asthma without having something to add to it. Baby powders are also not recommended because of resporitory problems.

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Baby-r-us has a sleep positioner that looks like two rolled towels.
Theysay sids is more prevalent in babies that sleep on there stomachs because they sleep so sound.

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J.,

I have heard that once a baby is strong enough to roll themselves over from their back to belly you do not need to worry about them sleeping on their backs. Apparently, research indicates a child is strong enough to protect themselves and that the part of the brain possibly linked to SIDS is developed by the time a baby can roll over. This helped relieve my own fears, I hope it does yours. If all else fails-talk with your pediatrician to get the latest scoop.

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my kids ages 9,8,6 and almost 5 months have ALWAYS slept on their stomaches with no problems. the NICU for preme babies puts the infants on their tummys. These idiots who have no kids started the crap about it causing SIDS. IMO shes fine.

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hi J., what i did was make sure you don't have bumper pads or any thing else loose in the crib and put the mattress at a slant. Good luck and congradulations on your new baby, i'm sure she's perfect.

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With my second son, we found that when he was just a week old he slept much better on his tummy. Of course, I was super cautious and had his crib next to me... but he was fine.
Basically if your baby is strong enough to roll and move their head once they are on their tummy... they should be okay.
No worries and enjoy the hours you are able to sleep! :D

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Every pediatrician in the office we go to (there are 4) and most of the mommies in my area all say the same thing.....once they roll on their own, there is nothing you can do about it. I would call your pediatrician just to give you some peace of mind though. Good luck getting through this and look on the bright side, maybe she'll sleep more!!

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If she's strong enough to roll over, she's strong enough to move her head/face if her breathing is compromised. I wouldn't worry about her.

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A baby that can put herself onto her stomach at night can sleep on her stomach at night. She isn't going to position herself to the point that she suffocates herself. If her sleeping area is clear of extraneous stuffed animals and pillows, etc, don't worry about it.

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Hi J.,

That's a wonderful accomplishment for your daughter to be rolling over. Just a few safety points so you can sleep easier. There are sleep positioner's you can use, you should be able to find them at Baby's R Us or other stores with baby items. If she is strong and persistant, she may fight against them. A simpler solution would be to remove all soft items from her crib. Stuffed animals, blankets, and the bumper pads should come out. If you dress your daughter in a blanket sleeper or a gown with elastic at the bottom for easy access, she should be warm enough. Basically, nothing in her crib but her! If she rolls over in the night, she will be able to breathe, even if she squishes her nose on the mattress. Babies noses are designed for breast feeding, so being a little squished won't hurt her. During the day, you could help her practice her tummy time and help her to turn her face to the side when she's lays on belly. I hope this helps you!

T. S. :)

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My second child did this as well. I talked to my dr. about it at one of our visits and he said that it is fine. When baby is able to roll over on their own it is fine to leave them there.

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I am a mother of two - a 4 1/2 year old boy and 5 month old girl. I know that there is a big push for sleeping on the back due to SIDS risk but my son would only sleep on his stomach and made it through his infancy just fine. Now, my daughter will only sleep on her stomach - she was a preemie and we swaddled her until she was almost 3 months old and when swaddled she would sleep on her side, etc but since then she sleeps much better on her tummy. I think that if your child is rolling over onto her stomach and continues to sleep that it will be fine. The way that I look at it is that my generation (late 30's) all slept on their stomachs and we are doing just fine. But it is ultimately up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

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They do make a sleep positioner. You can also try rolling towels and lying them at her sides (below arm pit). However, my personal feeling is if they are big enough to do it on their own, it should be safe. You have to do what you are comfortable with as her parent.

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I have 2 boys that did the exact same thing. . . one even earlier. I asked my ped. about it because I was very nervous. He told me it was fine! He said if it made me feel better roll him back over once and if he rolled again that's how he wanted to sleep!! Just be sure there isn't any loose bedding or stuffed animals.

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Just watch her sleep & if this is comfortable for her let her do it. You have a great concern but if she's not having problems breathing, she'll be okay. You might try putting her back against the bassinet & a blanket/pillow up under her stomach & lower part of her body, so that she can't roll. Good luck & it'll all work out in time. Good luck & God Bless!

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Hi J.-
My son is 5 weeks old and after 2 weeks of sleepless nights and crying I broke down and put him on his tummy. He has been able to hold his head up and turn it since the 2nd week so I figured he could move it if he was having any problems. Since then he sleeps like a rock. I'm not an expert but I figure a sleeping baby is a happy baby. He is fine and he sleeps through the night most nights. We have him in our room so I can easily check on him if I get paranoid but like most other posters have said, most of us slept on our tummies and we're all fine. Keep your monitor on and check on her if you get worried, I'm sure she'll be fine. Good luck.

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