Advice on How to Get My 2 Month Old to Sleep on Her Back.

Last decade they said belly. This decade they say back. It seems that every 10 years or so they change their mind. The preference of your baby far outweighs the flip-flop MD community. Vaccines are a much bigger risk factor for SIDS, just ask Japan. They do the opposite of the US, they don't start vaccinating until the children are 2 years old. When that happened the SIDS rate went through the floor.

But back to the sleeping. I always put my kids on their bellies because if they spit up, they can aspirate if on their backs. I once had a cop come to my high school to talk about the dangers of drinking and he said that if you have a friend that has passed out from alcohol poisoning, you need to put them on their stomachs. He mentioned that if they throw up in their sleep they won't choke to death. I figure that an immobile baby has even less control that a drunk college student. I also think that a baby that spits up is more common than a SIDS baby. I would choose the position that actually gets sleep without the choking to death before I freaked out about SIDS and a MD who changes his mind every presidential election or so.
-S.

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The current advice is to have your baby sleep on their back, but it used to be the advice to have them on their tummies. Personally, I think if you look at the risk factors and take safety into consideration, the way your baby chooses to sleep may be the best way for him or her.

If your baby is in a crib, I would make sure you are using an organic crib mattress. Many people suspect the chemicals in the crib mattress could be part of the blame for SIDS. Their faces are right next to the mattress breathing in fumes. If you are using a standard crib mattress, make sure the crib is not placed over a heating vent which can help release more fumes, keep the crib away from the window and direct sunlight.

Have you tried getting your baby to sleep on her side? Maybe prop some rolled up swaddling blankets on both sides of her to keep her on her side vs her tummy?

I would also make sure there is nothing she can suffocate with: ie blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, etc. Even if they are close to her face but not suffocating her, she could be rebreathing her air and not getting enough oxygen.

If all of these are okay, then your baby is probably fine sleeping on her tummy. If you are losing sleep worrying about her, there are new sleep monitors on the market. Go to Babys R Us and you'll see they have a pad you place under or over the mattress and they will alert you if there is no movement from breathing or anything else occuring every 20 seconds.

But the spitting up makes me think she feel more comfortable and is relieved of the pressure when sleeping face down. You might want to try to burp her before lying her down. One last thing you could try are the acid reflux pillows. It's like a triangle wedge that props your baby up at a 45 degree angle keeping her head up high and helping prevent spit ups when on her back.

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G., You know you baby better than you doctor does. I understand that the risk of SID is lower if a baby is sleeping on its back but it sounds to me like for your baby she needs to be on her belly. Not all babies are alike and I think as a Mom you know what works best for your baby. I would also try having her sleep on her side with a rolled up blanket at her back to help support her. Trust yourself.

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I also have a 2 month old tummy sleeper. Though at first I checked on him often, I am no longer concerned with his ability to breathe. The thing that infuriates me is that doctors seem to be trying to convince parents that SIDS = suffocation, that they're one and the same. The truth is that they don't know exactly what causes it, hence the name "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome." It's true that cases have decreased significantly since the Back-to-Sleep campaign started, but there could be a number of other mitigating factors that have contributed to that decrease. My whole generation slept on our tummies, so it means that tummy sleeping is not an automatic death sentence. We decided since my son had none of the other risk factors (smoking or drug use during pregnancy, smoke exposure following birth, low birth weight, poor prenatal care, mother younger than 20, overheating from excessive bedding), that he was probably at a very low risk. Plus, just watching him sleep, I could see him move around, and lift his head up and move it when he wanted. Bedtime has been much more pleasant since we switched, and at 10 weeks, he started sleeping 12 hours straight.

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As the mother of six that range from 20 to 7 I have to say this... let her sleep how she wants. When my oldest was a baby the doctors all said "only on their Tummy's or they will choke to death" by the third one they said "only on their Sides because they will suffocate" the last one "only on their backs they will die of sids" see the trend here? In other words "we have no idea so we are guessing" my youngest didn't sleep in the hospital (three days) for more than 15 minutes because she doesn't like to sleep on her back. I got her home and she slept on her stomach and was asleep for almost 24 hours(I would awaken her for a few minutes to eat) but she was exhausted! She hadn't slept in three days. She still sleeps that way and she is 7. Mostly do what you feel is right for your baby. You are the one that knows what she needs. Look inside yourself. You know. =0) give that sweet baby kisses and let her sleep.
About spitting some babies are sensitive to formula/something the mom is eating. kind of watch that. One of my daughters would spit up when I ate strawberries another oranges (she is allergic to oranges I found out later) Hope this helps.

Try letting her sleep in her carseat or carrier. My son preferred that for a while. You can strap her in so she is safe and doesn't wiggle out and put the carrier on the floor to avoid any tipping off of furniture. This can help her get through this time and help you with getting your much needed sleep.

Check with your doc but she might have reflux. My daughter has reflux and sleeps much better now since she has been taking the medicine her doctor prescribed.

I know this can be a worrisome issue with a new baby, but you can find "sleep postioners" to help to keep her aligned while sleeping. You can find a variety at Baby's R Us and at other store that carry similar items. I used these when I was co-sleeping with my boy. I know that the screaming is a problem too, if you just lightly stroke her and let her know that you are there and whisper soothing sounds to her she will fall asleep. Eventually you will have her sleeping on her back and you can gradually let her self soothe herself to sleep and let her cry,this part was really hard. Good luck~

I have four daughters. I know where you are coming from. Both my oldest and my youngest were the same way. The oldest just wouldn't sleep at all on her back. Not even for a minute. I spent the first four months of her life not sleeping because she'd scream if I put her on her back. At four months someone finally said if she was still not sleeping I should just put here on her belly. She slept after that. With my youngest, I was not waiting four months without sleep. When she started showing the same signs of not sleeping on her back, I flipped her to her belly and she went to sleep.
SIDS is scary. When I was a kid my parents friend had a baby who died at 10 months of SIDS. It was at our house. As a mom its something I still worry about but aside from age, my daughter has no obvious risk factors for SIDS. I just check on her frequently and I've had her in a crib in our room so I can hear her breathing.

Hi there G.,
My son had reflux when he would sleep on his back as well. What we did is used the "Boppy Lounger" (the one that is solid like a pear/not the horseshoe shaped one)and it kept him upright just enough that he wouldn't spit-up. I think that he was upset mostly because when they spit-up or have the reflux it burns their throat. It worked really well for us until he was about 4 months. He never tried to roll off and he slept much better. I would watch her to make sure the first few times but it nestles them in there and gives them support behind the head. It was also great too because if we went somewhere and he needed a nap, he would fall asleep right away no matter where we were because he was used to the feel of it. Hope it helps!

G. S,
Hello, my name is J. and I have raised three children. Because of my mother's teachings that a newborn or even a two-month old still needs to have that security of when the baby was in your womb. My mother raised eight children and I figured she knew more than I did, sooo she always told me to wrap my babies in their receiving blankets with their arms tucked in and lay them on their side and rotate them from one side to the other the next time you laided them down to sleep so they wouldn't get a flat head. My babies slept soundly and through the night after wrapping. I did this until they could actually wiggle their little arms out of the blanket. Just a thought for you. Have a great day.

G.,
try to get her to sleep in her car seat...you won't need to strap her in but, it may help with the spit up AND get her comfortable for sleep. we have had our kids (4) sleep in their car seats the first 4 months of their lives! and by then they are sleeping 8+ hours each night! good luck.

I agree with lots of these women: Consider if you have any of the other risk-factors for SIDS such as formula-feeding or exposure to second-hand smoke. Consider also that your baby may have painful reflux (painful spit-up) and perhaps you can get that addressed and be able to put her on her back to sleep. One of the theories behind SIDS is that the baby sleeps too well. We want our babies to sleep, but we don't want them in such a deep sleep that they can't wake up when they need to. It's a fact that babies sleep better on their tummies, but that's perhaps part of the reason that back-to-sleep works--because they wake more often.

I have a friend who had two babies that spit up, a lot at a ti me. Before she knew about it, the baby had started to asperate on it and amost stopped breathing. Her baby now sleeps in a car seat insid the crib so that his spit up will run out and not back into his throat where he can suck in to his lungs. It took some time for him to get used to it, but it is for the best. If you put a wedge under the baby's back so she sleeps on her side, that will help too.

I tend to be a little 'old fashioned' when it comes to this. Up until just the last 5-10 years, babys were encouraged to sleep on their tummys. Sleeping on their backs feels to 'unprotected' and they wake themselves up because they have no control over their limbs. Their arms or legs will move and the baby has a sensation of falling.
Some SIDS studies show that it is likely caused by babies sleeping on flame retardent mattresses. Something about the chemicals used. Also, sleeping with a lot of padding and/or blankets.
Go with your gut.....you are the mom!!
Good luck!

Hi G.,

My son was and is the same way. He would just start sceaming when he was put on his back. I also finally tried putting him on is his tummy then he sleep for hours. I talked to my doctor and he said that it is fine for him to be on his tummy just to make sure there are no blankets or pillows to sufficate him. He has sleep on his tummy since he was about two - three months old and he is now 16 months. He still can only sleep on his tummy. He was also a big spitter upper, so I'm sure being on his tummy was much more comfortable. If you are still uneasy about it they sell something to help you keep your baby on her back. It's called a inclined sleeper and they sell them at babies R us. I tried it also for my son, but he was not having it. I hope this can help. Good luck!

The advice for the previous generation was to put children on their tummies to sleep. Even though our generation is all revved up over the "back to sleep campaign" because it genuinely has resulted in a decreased risk of SIDS, if I were you I would continue to allow my baby to sleep on her tummy. Back when most parents placed their babies on their tummies to sleep, the rate of SIDS was still very very low. (Additionally, an unknown number of those so-called "SIDS deaths" were actually homicides that were not detected until after many decades and usually a confession.) So, there is a risk but I believe it's a very small one.

My youngest son started rolling over when he was a little younger than two months and has slept on his stomach ever since then. And it didn't matter how often I'd roll him over! My oldest son began sleeping on his side at about that same age.

Try a wedge. they sell them at babies R us it keeps the baby more on its side then on its back. you might also want to get her tested for reflux

G.,

She may not sleep on her back. If she is spitting up when she lays on her back, she may have some level of reflux. I bought one of those bed wedges for my son and it worked great. I didn't have the problem of him not sleeping on his back but we had the spit up when he went to bed. The wedge is meant to go under the sheet but there was no way I could get it under his so I put it on top of the mattress and use a heavy cover over it and tuck it in tightly around it so it doesn't come off when he wiggles in the night. You could always try one of those side positioning things as well snd see if she will at least sleep on her side.
And although it is the latest (and seems to have proven results)to put them on their backs, babies don't care what the doctor says. :-) Good Luck, T.

My daughter did not spend a single night sleeping on her back--though we never actually put her on her tummy, we did try a sleep positioner and put her on her side, and that was a good compromise. Once she was old enough to roll over on her own, she rolled right onto her tummy and started sleeping SO much better than she ever had! I know they link tummy sleeping to SIDS and that freaks me out too, but the truth of the matter is, when we were all babies, it was the other way around! And we lived to tell about it! Pediatricians didnt want babies on their backs for the very reason you are having problems--the spit up and potential choke hazard. I know of a few people who just couldnt get their babies to sleep on their back and from the beginning they had them on their tummies, and they are just fine. If she is in your room, just keep an eye on her, if she is in her own room, get a video monitor so you can check on her, or I even hear there is some kind of sensor you can put on or under the crib mattress that can detect when a child has stopped breathing and sends out an alarm! I havent seen it myself, but I have heard it is out there! Hope this helps some-- Good luck and enjoy your little girl!

It sounds like sleeping on her back hurts her...maybe she has a problem with baby acid reflux.... my nephew had this problem and once they started giving him some medicine for it, he did a lot better. Good luck.... I know what a challenge it can be!

Hi G.,it sounds like your doctor has limited ,information about SIDS, your daughter obviously feels more comfortable that way and babies need to spend a lot of time on their belly,it is part of the neurodevelopmental process and as parents we have to encourage babies to be on their belly during wake time .that is how they become strong crawlers.I would love to explain more ,you can call me ,check my website canelledemange.com lovingly C.

Have you tried swaddling her. we had the same problems with our twins. It seemed that when on their backs the movements of their legs and arms woke them up. we still ery loosely swaddle ours to get them to sleep and they are almost 13 months old. they squirm onto their stomachs as the night progresses.

good luck.

My duaghter also refused to sleep on her back. I finally settled on setting her on her side up against the side of her basinett and that worked like a charm.

Good luck.

I think I found a happy medium for my babies who also spit up a lot. I rolled up several receiving blankets into stubby tubes (not too long). Placed them on each side of the baby to prop them on their sides. After nursing, I would just prop them on their other side. These always worked well for me. I didn't have to worry about them choking on their spit up either.

Let her sleep on her stomach. My pediatrition says sleeping on their backs has actually created a whole new problem with the flat head syndrome. It is still not known exactly what causes SIDS...a smoking household, underweight, etc. Children in England who have died from this were found to have been sleeping on sheepkin rugs. My daughter would only sleep on her stomach, so I just put a mirror by her face and checked on her.

The spitting up is probably from air. Either she needs to be burped better, or her screaming filled her belly with air.

Try using a swaddling blanket. Sleeping on their belly can be comforting because it keeps her arms and leg still and she feels "cuddled" by the pressure on her belly. Get a velco swaddling blanket and cross her arms like the sign for love before you swaddle her tight. This should help keep flailing arms and legs from startling her and waking her up. Having her front exposed and arms and legs out can feel too vulnerable and "free".

G....well first of all, it's totally normally. Sleeping on their backs triggers their moro reflex (the startle reflex) and makes it really hard for them to sleep. On top of that, they aren't able to trigger their self-calming reflex until about 12 weeks old so once they startle they can't calm themselves back down...it's a vicious cycle.

Go and buy the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp MD. That book explains all of this and was a lifesaver. It's a quick read and I PROMISE it will bring sanity back to your life. You can also order the dvd I think at thehappiestbaby.com.

As advised in that book, I swaddled my girls up very tight, put them on their sides (in a wedgie thing) and they were both sleeping soundly through night at 8 weeks old.

Good luck G.!

L.

P.S. I'm a 38 y/o sahm to 8 and 5 year old girls.

Sounds like your baby may have acid reflux. Have you thought about buying one of those wedge-like inserts that you put under the crib sheet so her head will be elevated?

You don't mention if you are nursing your baby or feeding her formula but if you are using formula, you might consider that your baby could be allergic to it. If it is dairy based, try soy or vice-versa. Many babies cannot digest the protein in cows milk until they are much older.

Good luck!

N.

G. S.
What you might want to try is not putting her on her back all the way but lay her kind of on her side and back by propping her back with a pellow or some blankets. This will also help with the spitting up too!
Hope it will be of some help.

L.

My son also wanted to sleep on his tummy. He vomited after every feeding also and I found that putting him on his tummy cut back on the vomiting A LOT. I was and am still aware of the risk of SIDS at that age (we put him onto his tummy at about the same age - 3 weeks) but after talking to some other moms, I relaxed a bit. Babies have been sleeping on their tummies for centuries and most are just fine. Also, the risk of choking because of the spitting up outweighed the risk of SIDS for me. Choking was a real, visable risk. Turns out he had acid reflux and was put on meds for it. If I were you, I wouldn't turn her over and trade those 7 hours. I wish mine had slept for 7 hours at 2 months. Even on his belly, he didn't fuss but still only slept for 3 or 4 hours at a time until he was almost a year old.

Hi my name is M. and I have a 4.5 month old. Have you tried using one of those sleeping wedges? My son loved it while he was smaller because it kept him proped up. You can buy them at Target or Walmart. Good luck

Hi G., my name is D., mom to 4 boys...I would have your baby's tummy checked for acid reflux syndrome. If she is spitting up on her back, this could be why & the reason she cries on her back...A friend has a son that is 18 months old and he too have the same thing.
Good luck,
D.

We had a similar issue with my daughter. We found out that she had acid reflux. We got her on meds and that helped spitting but she still didnt sleep well. Swaddling is what did the trick. It took a few night for her to get used to it but after a week she was sleeping 7-10hrs. We just kept with it. I love the Snug N Tug swaddle blanket. You can get it at www.mypreciouskid.com Also a sleep positioner helped a lot. They can be on it until the are rolling over. The Ultra positioner with an incline helped with spitting as well as keep in place.
Good Luck!

I was (am?) a fairly paranoid first-time mother, so when "they" all said to put the baby to bed on her back, I tried. But my baby was born cesarian and had some spitting up issues the first several weeks, so I was a little worried about choking. So I compromised and used a sleep positioner to put her mostly on her back, just tilted up to the side a little bit. She seemed happy with this (in fact now at almost 8 months she often rolls to her side to sleep). We also used a swaddle blanket (similar to the receiving blanket burrito wrap someone else described) which helped her feel secure and sleep much better. One or both of these things might help. But I have a friend that I trust who let her baby sleep on his tummy because that was his preference. I just wasn't brave enough to try it. Good luck!

Have you told your doc about the spitting up?

If you have and he seems unconcerned, you need another pediatrician. Your little girl could be suffering from reflux, which can cause a great deal of distress. Read carefully the notes from other mamas on reflux, and take their advice.

Have you triedputting her on her side? That what I do with my three month old, who also hates sleeping on her back. Or I put her on her back on our boppy pillow. She seens to not spit up and feels secure in the pillow. Hope it helps.
A.
Work at home mom with two girls
www.thebest4yourfam.com

I often wonder if the concern with SIDS is overrated. But I do know that if there is a history of allergies in the family you want to be more diligent, and follow the doctors advice. I also have had many moms say they can't keep their child on their back even if they pinned them to the mattress! So, you need to do what feels right for you and your child. Try using a v-shaped foam changing pad to encourage your child to sleep on her side, preventing her from rolling either way. This should satisify the doctor, at least. Also, another leading indicator of SIDS is warmth. If the child is overdressed for sleep, or has any blankets or pillows in the bed, she could suffocate.
Good luck and happy sleeping.
Jenny

My son didn't like sleeping on his back, either. What did help (until he was about 3 or 4 mos. old) was swaddling him. I'd wrap him quite firmly (my husband was worried that it was too tight) before lying him in his back. This seemed to help him feel more secure and he slept better. As he got older, he did better and we were able to dispense with the swaddling. As for the spitting up, you might try having her sleep at a slight incline, so her head is just a little higher than her feet--that way you would have gravity working with you.

Sounds like reflux which can be worse when the baby lays on its back. You might try a wedge to help your girl sleep at an angle a little more upright. Their little esophagus sphincters are just not keeping food down and when they are laying down it can allow food and stomach acid to come back up. Just a thought. Good luck!

The important thing to remember is that the "back to sleep" thing is considered "ideal" in an ideal world. Several posters on here suggested that chemicals from mattresses and cleaning products may play a part in increased SIDS risk, and I fully agree. I've done a lot of research on the subject, and it scared the pants off me. Because of that, my mom was generous enough to buy my son an organic cotton mattress, and we use only natural cleaning products.

Even so, when my baby boy refused to sleep on his back, I was terrified to put him on his tummy. We found a nice compromise. We got a sleep positioner and he slept on his side until he was 3-4 months old. He still slept horribly, but better than on his back. I was just too scared to do the tummy thing. If you're comfortable with it, and are careful to reduce other risk factors (chemicals, extra bedding, etc), I say go for it!

Besides your doctor telling you to place your child on her back, what does he think? She apparently seems to be uncomfortable, maybe she has reflux, you could try elevating the head of the crib and see how she does on her back. Other wise I would say see your pediatrician agian to rule out reflux. I was told that if the baby can get from back to stomach it was ok for them to sleep on their back. I too also had my babies sleep in a baby swing at night, it helped us out.

It sounds like she may have a little reflux (stomach contents work their way back up the throat) so she instinctively doesn't feel comfortable or safe on her back. I would compromise and see if she feels comfortable on her side, either one. I have never read any SIDS literature that had a problem with a baby being on their side, only on the tummy. See if that works. Also if you must put her on her back, try putting the head of the mattress up a rung so its slightly elevated compared to the foot. See if that helps,

Has your doctor mentioned anything about reflux to you? My son had reflux pretty bad from birth until about 6 months. it sounds like he had similar symptoms to your daughter. My son hated being on his back. We acutally put him in his car seat inside the crib to sleep from time to time. Luckily he quickly became a side sleeper and would turn from his back to his side to sleep, never onto his tummy until he was much older. He used to spit up quite a bit, especially shortly after nursing. He would scream every time we laid him flat on his back for things like diaper changes etc. My son LOVED tummy time and we came to find out that he felt much better when he laid on his tummy because it helped the reflux. Anyway, to make a long story short, his pediatrician prescribed medication to treat his reflux. He took a version of Zantac (it can also be called Ranitidine) and we gave it to him once daily for about 4 months. It helped him tremedously. By the time my son was 6 months old he was sitting up enough etc. that he did not need the medication any more and/or he had outgrown the problem. From what I have heard, most babies have reflux because their digestive systems are not well developed and it just takes time for them to mature. Some babies just have worse cases or symptoms of reflux than others.
It is something that might be worth checking into anyway.
Good Luck!
Trish M.

Here's one idea. Put blocks under the legs of one end of her crib to prop it up. My baby had a big reflux issue, and spit up all night until we did this. Maybe she would then sleep on her back.

You may want to pat her on the back after a feeding and see if you can get her to burp. Try holding her across your lap and patting her if she won't burp for you when you are holding her against your chest. It may also take longer than 20 minutes--all babies are different.

As far as SIDS, yes they may be at a higher risk so you do have to be careful if your daughter sleeps on her stomach but all three of my babies have slept on their stomachs without any problem. Make sure there are no blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals that can move and cover her face.

My first son was a premie so he had A LOT of digestive issues when we finally brought him home and we found wrapping him tight and putting him on his stomach helped out a lot. My newborn daughter who is now 3 mos is like your daughter--she has to sleep on her stomach or she'll fuss alllllll night. When I had my first child, I woke up every 10 minutes it seemed like to check on him. I am much more relaxed with my daughter (# 3) but I will check on her every so often. If your daughter is strong enough to turn her head from side to side I wouldn't worry about her sleeping on her stomach.

I know it's hard especially as a first time mother to not get any sleep--I thought I was gonna lose it myself after days of struggling so make sure you ask for nap breaks when someone can relieve you. My other desperate plan of action when I needed to sleep but baby was fussy would be to pile pillows on either side of me and lay baby on my chest. I'd prop my elbows up on the pillows to make sure I didn't move and baby wouldn't fall off, put my arms around baby, and pat the child to sleep. If you are a light and pretty alert sleeper and you feel confident, you can try this. If you are a heavy sleeper (like my husband), I'd ignore this option.

Good luck!! It does get much easier:)

I dont think the doctors can make up their minds when my kids were little they said to put them on their stomachs to help prevent sids

G.

i am a mother of two (now 4&6)and my first born did not sleep well on her back either. My mom was staying with me while I was learning the ropes and she too put my baby on her tummy...Out like a light! She is now 6 and fine. I do not know how doctors can say one way or another if a baby is at risk for SIDS hence the acronym means Sudden infant death syndrome. If you are comfortable with your baby on her tummy I say put her on her tummy. Doctors say a lot about all the things that could happen...that is partly to keep them from being liable. Put a monitor in her room, turn it up, and you will rest easy. that is what i did...moms sleep lightly, you will hear her breathing while shes sleeping. Good Luck

I'm not a young mother but, an old one. I had three daughter's all are now grown. All three prefered sleeping on their stomach's. The advise was the same, way back then, when I placed them on their backs they'd roll over. Soooo I let them sleep on their stomach. They all survived!! Don't worry too much, just enjoy and love you new baby girl. Before you know it she'll be grown.

She is probably having a little reflux,(pretty normal) and putting her on her back makes it worse. My daughter never wanted to sleep on her back, I just let her sleep on her tummy. She was not a high risk for sids baby. Very large and healthy and I never worried about it. It sound like a concern for you however. Perhaps you could try letting her sleep sitting up, like in a carseat or a swing or a hammock chair. Then she can spit up to her hearts content and you won't worry so much. My son slept in a baby swing utill he was around 6 months. Ask your doc...and good luck!

I have 5 children 11,8,6 and 3 year old twins all of whom slept on their tummys. Don't worry about it. My doctor told me the same thing. But he isn't the one not sleeping when your baby is awake all night. If you are still worried just make sure that there arn't any loose blankets in her bed and her sheet is tight. there are swaddling blankets now that will keep them warm without being loose. but let her sleep how she wants to sleep. besides there is not concrete evidence that a child sleeping on their stomach will die of SIDS. I have a friend that three years ago lost a baby to SIDS and he slept on his back all the time. so good luck and don't worry.
I'm a stay at home mom of 5. 1 girl 4 boys my girl is one of my twins

I'm not going to tell you what to do, but neither of my babies would sleep on their backs. We tried everything. So, in the end, we just elimated all the other risk factors for SIDS, and just let them sleep on their tummies. I gave us a small level of discomfort, but it was worth it for the sleep. You daughter will soon be able to roll over on her own and once that happens, there is almost nothing you can do when she decides to sleep on her tummy.

Hi G.! I had the same problem when my now, 14 month old was born up until she was about 4 months old. Here's what I did. Because I was petrified of her suffocating yet at the same time needing to sleep myself, I would put my girl in her crib, so she would be used to it, but also have her in her car seat. The general consensus was that she probably had a little bit of acid reflux and when she was on her back it would act up making her cry and spit up. It worked like a charm! I figured that she always seemed to sleep so well in her car seat and hardly ever spit up, why not put her in it for her night time slumber as well?! Anyways, I hope this helps you out!

Wellthis is probably against the rules with the doctors. I have twin boys that really didn't like to sleep on their backs either. So we used to wrap them up in their blankets like a burrito and then lay them propped up a little in a poppy pillow. We were pt a folded up blanket underneath to help support their backs. Once they got older we obviously did need to wrap them in a blanket anymore but we still used the bobby until they started rolling over. I hope this helps. Good luck.

This definitely sounds like reflux. Try letting her sleep in the swing or in her car seat. With all 3 of mine, they slept either in the swing or in the car seat inside the crib. It lasted until they were about 5 or 6 months old. Also, make sure you tell her doctor about the spitting up, just to be safe. You can buy a snuggly to make sure she doesn't lose her blanket while she is sleeping. It is kind of like a sleeping bag made to go in the car seat or swing and zips up so it can't be kicked off. It is also great for use in the car seat because you won't be losing blankets every time you turn around in the car or store or where ever. GOOD LUCK!

I myself am a first time mom, and was scared to death about SIDS! My mom said all 6 of us (me & sibs) all slept on our tummies and were just fine. My OB has a 5 yr old and she said she knows you are suppose to put them on their backs but her son slept on his tummy as well. And again she reiterated "Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play". My peditrician said once they start rolling over they are fairly safe on their tummies and thankfully my son was doing that at 2 months. I did not put him on his tummy he would roll onto his tummy, and that is how he sleeps best. I had a sleep positioner for him when he was little. So maybe try one of those. That's my best advice and maybe some comforting words? My son is 15 months and I still check on him to make sure he is breathing. If that gives you an idea of how scared I was/am. Good Luck!
S.

I would try to elevate the head of the bed. we used a wedge and that helped our little 2 month old sleep better. you have to put it under the mattress. It's sometimes caused from the gas and fullness of the food in her belly. My doctor suggested to us to use a wedge.

Hello:

I am a Mom of three grown children and Grandma now to 6 with another on the way. I would tell the doctor my concerns over her spitting up when on her back seems like that would be a 'problem'. Have you tried 'rolling' a blanket and placing in front and behind or one of those 'round' pillow things that helps to keep them on their side? Perhaps trying the 'side' sleeping would be better for the spitting up and a 'move in the right direction' towards sleeping on her back? I think I might try this.

Good luck and congradulations on your bundle of joy.

S.

Have you talked to your Dr. about putting the baby on her side with a little blanket or towel by her back so she does roll over. My son didn't liking sleeping on his back either and thats what I did. He is now 2 1/2

I too went thru this wil my first baby.....and believe me if she is behaving this way then you have already lost the battle...plus since she does spit up is safer for her on her tummy so that she doesn't choke on it. Most of our moms put us on our tummys and we're still here.
GOOD LUCK!

Hi my son is now 14 months old but he was the samy way . We used to put a rolled up flannel recieving blanket just under one side of his back, that way they are more so on their back but yet not all the way. I think he also felt more like I was still holding him with the extra support of the rolled up blanket behind him. I hope that helps you out a little!

A. J.

Hi G.-
I am a very happy mother of two: a daughter 6 years and a son 10 years. Does your little one sleep with you? Do you nurse her to sleep? As nervous first-time parents, we swaddled my son for the first few months and he slept in his own crib because he made so much noise while he slept for the first few months- eventually we brought him into bed with us. My daughter fell asleep on her side nursing every night and both are healthy, happy children! Having them in bed with us helped me feel they were safe. The best advice I can give you is to listen to yourself- you know what is best for your baby and your baby will let you know when you are uncertain. Congratulations on your new baby, what an amazingly experience!! Here's a link to another discussion about baby on tummy that I found helpful: http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/sleep/babyonstomach.html

Hi,

There are ergonomic, inclined-foam sleep supports for infants that you can purchase to reduce risk of SIDS. These support the child in a side-lying position. I used one of these when my son was first born.

Hope this helps.
K.

Have you tried one of those devices that you put in the bassinet/crib that keeps them in one place? Perhaps you could try first putting her on her side, then gradually work up to putting her on her back. You could also try elevating the head of her bassinet/crib.

Buy some peppermint OIL, not extract, OIL. Put a teeny tiny bit around her belly button-that should help the tummy and should take care of the tummy upset, spitting up. A swing in recline and slow close to your bed would help her get used to sleeping on her back and you can also purchase these adjustable positioning pillow pads at Toys are us. They will keep her from rolling over AND will keep her head from flattening too. Soothing oceans, etc., sounds might help too.

Hi G.,

As a mom of 4, mine never did like their backs either. I was scared to put mine on their stomachs at that young of age. What i did and you might want to try is swaddling her and let her sleep on her side (they have stuff in the store to help keep them in place and its more snuggly for them as well. She might enjoy this position better, especially having the support might make her feel more secure then on her back. Good luck and congrats with your new bundle!

My now almost three year old was exactly the same way. I never did win the battle. Finally someone said to me that as long as she could turn her head she would be safe and not suffocate herself. My baby was suffering from a small case of acid reflux that I know caused her discomfort. She would also spit up if she fell asleep on her back and she would wiggle in discomfort. So Sad! I don't know if tummy sleeping was more comfy because of that or not. It did pass though....My baby was finally put on baby Zantac when she was 4 months old. That was helpful for sure. She only needed to use it for a very short time.

All my kids slept on their tummies and so did I! I am 52 now and my girls are 31, 28 and 25 all healthy and fine. My take on SIDS is a little different.

Doctors are worried about suffocation but if you have a flat surface and make sure no blankets get around her face, she should be fine.

SIDS, I think, is more likely if you use scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners especially the dryer sheets...they contain over 100 chemicals not listed on the box. There are plenty of unscented detergents out there now like ALL free and clear and 7th Generation and Ecco. They also have natural fabric softeners.

Also consider waiting on shots until her immune system is stronger or at least get informed about immunizations. You can also request that only one shot at a time be given. That's what I did. My youngest did not receive any shots until she was 2 and a half.

Use only natural, non toxic cleaners in your home. Our indoor air quality is far worse than the outside air. What might not bother us, is at toxic levels for babies! Don't use air fresheners or plug ins they are full of air polluting chemicals. Instead crack a window open.

I love to take walks but I hate it when I am trying to breath the fresh PNW air and all I smell is fabric sheets polluting the air! Yuck!

These products also contribute to the growing incidence of asthma in our children. My thoughts. K.

I had trouble with large amounts of spit up after eating, especially if I laid my son down too soon. I used a wedge to elevate his head a bit. It also had triangle side wedges that could be attached with velcro so he wouldn't wiggle off the wedge in his sleep. You could try that. Are you swaddling your daughter? She might need that security to stay asleep when she's still so small. There are great swaddle blankets at swaddledesigns.com. The blanket tag has swaddle directions right on the tag so you're never at a loss what to do. Hope that helps!

You may want to try swaddling her. I've noticed that my 6 week old girl will not stay asleep on her back if she's not swaddled tightly. The reason for this is because at this stage their hands are active (even when sleeping) and they'll get them up near their face and mouth which they think means there's something there for them to eat. Another suggestion may be to try putting her in her carseat to sleep. It's a more "snuggly" and secure place than a wide open crib. May also help with the spitup issue. Good luck! :)

my little girl had acid reflux and had no choice but to keep her on her back and elevated upright. She practically lived in her carrier seat. She slept well if she was elevated some if you want to try that. But if your little one has no problems breathing or spitting up. let her sleep in any position that makes her confortable. Make sure no lose blankets or pillows are near her face to keep her from breathing. good luck!

She may be uncomfortable due to acid reflux. Try elevating her mattress using a wedge (or a few rolled up towels) under the mattress.

there are wedges to raise baby's head slightly higher than feet, which could be natural way to help if she's having some reflux and therefore not liking back sleep. (or put rolled up towel under matress at head end)

there are also sleep positioners -- ours had memory foam head pad and two stiff foam edges on side. (I think called a "dex" from Target) It both protected against "flathead" and allowed us to sort of sleep our infant propped slightly to one side. He didn't like to be on back either, but if we swaddled him and tilted him in his bundle to left or right side, he seemed to sleep better. Good luck!

Hello G., My name is B. and I just wanted to give you a little advise. My son was the exsact same way at that age. He wouldn't sleep soundly on his back, and when my dad put him back in his basinet on his stomach he slept for hours at a time, and shortly after that slept all night as well. My dad said to keep a very close eye on him while sleeping, and he would be fine. He is now three and I had no problem with him sleeping on his belly. I didnt put other objects in his basinet with him except a very thin blanket. I really guess its up to you, and what you feel is right. I would make sure though you are close to him during the day and night to watch and listen to every little sound. I really think its all about mommy intuition. Hope you figure what is right for your little girl and you. Good Luck!

Hi G.,
I am a 25 year old mother of a 3 month old little boy, a 18 month old little boy and a 3 year old little girl and they all had pretty much the same problem, except my youngest has been the hardest to deal with and he too would spit up, and run a fever because of getting so upset. To keep him from choking on what he spit up I lay him in our old car seat that our daughter used to keep him propped up, I also put him on his side with a blanket in front of him in a way that seems comfortable to me too. Also just recently he started turning himself over if I don't use the car seat, so I was told to just keep his bed empty, I even took his blanket out and I put warmer outfits on him. Just so you know there are lots of times that I want to go in and pick him up to stop his crying but I just end up making it take longer most of the time because he gets a breather to go on for longer. I hope what I've gone through these past several weeks helps you with your new daughter (congrats!).
~A.

Hi G.~ I am a sahm with 2 kids, 9 & 3, neither one of my kids would sleep on their backs! I understand your frustration. I have learned that you have to do what works for you. Just make sure that when your baby sleeps on her belly there's nothing under her or something she can snuggle her face into. Other than that I say go for sleeping on the tummy, if that is what works best! Good luck.

Consider doing some research on crib mattress-wrapping. This is a practice used primarily in New Zealand and Australia that has drastically cut down on the rate of SIDS deaths. Once your mattress is wrapped, you may not feel the need to worry about your daughter sleeping on her tummy quite as much (even before she learns how to roll). Here's a website:
http://www.babysake.com/
We wrapped our mattress when we started putting our son to sleep in his crib and although he always sleeps on his back, I never worry about SIDS the way I used to.

Try letting her sleep in her swing, car seat, or bouncy chair. It sounds like being flat on her back is upsetting her stomach and elevating her a little might help. I know that when my daughter has had trouble sleeping due to congestion, this has worked wonders to help us get some rest. If you find that this works but you want to get her back in her crib, you can put something under one end of the matress to get the same effect.

Some babies have reflux and a little colic and both are soothed by being on their tummies from what we were told. Ask your pediatrician, especially because of the spit up. If it is reflux, you can elevate one end of the mattress to relieve some of it. The only other thing I have ever heard of is that babies feel "isolated" on their backs and are more cozy on their tummies - try a Halo Sleep Sack for that. Good luck!

I was in your shoes last year, my newborn son would only sleep on his stomach. He would aslo spit up if he was on his back and not sleep for more than a few minutes either. I finally admitted to my pediatrician I was letting him sleep on his stomach and he told me that unless I was putting him on his stomach on a waterbed w/ big fluffy pillows in a hot, smoke-filled room, than his chances for SIDS were very, very small. He did warn me that co-sleeping with him in our bed would increase the risk, but he was in his bassinet. In my opinion you should continue doing what works best for you and your daughter, if you're also in a low risk environment. Again, just my opinion....hope this helps!

A little about me:
30 year old mom to 3 (almost)boys; 5,1, and due in 2 months

G., I have one granddaughter that has always wanted to be on her stomach, to this day at 2 yrs old she gets on her tummy and fusses and cries if you try to put her on her back. But, Also I had acid reflux all my life, evidently my Dad had it, then my 1st son (severely), his daughter (severely) then his son, then my third son's daughter. Reflux is when the stomach acids (oft times along with contents of the stomach (ie: milk) are 'thrown up'. this could be due to the 'valve' that closes off the stomach from the esophagus (which prevents the regurgitation) not working properly. Elevate the head of his bed, and take him to a pediatric gastroenterologist. Regular pediatricians may not diagnose it and it can present the danger of the child aspirating on his own reflux. My granddaughters was so severe she threw up and it came out of her nose and mouth. We had tried to talk to her pediatrician of the family history of 'gerd' (acid reflux) to no avail until we had to call the paramedics because of that incident, she went blue, I had her breathing again by the time they got here but because some of it went down into her lungs she had aspiration pneumonia and was very ill. He referred her to the peds. gastroenterologists. This is NOT common that it gets that bad, so I'm not trying to scare you. But a little medicine and they usually grow out of it.

I should probably keep my mouth shut as I am a grandma and don't have a lot of possitive things to say about doctors these days but I have to tell you that both of my kids AND my granddaughter would only sleep on their Tummies. I know that the medical world says they shouldn't but as long as there aren't toys and a lot of blankets or pillows in their beds, there shouldn't be a problem. If that's how she gets her sleep, then don't worry about it! I watch a baby boy who started turning over at about 3 months and would only sleep on his tummy, of course the doctor didn't like it but said that if he's turning over, there was nothing they could do.

She could have reflux. You might try propping her up a few inches to see if that helps the spitting up. You also might try swaddling her tight-some babies like that.

2 out of our 3 kids slept on their tummies. Amazingly, even at this young of an age they seem to know what way feels best to sleep. My first child I fought it tooth and nail because of the SIDS thing, but with our 2nd-she slept through the night from day on her tummy. My advice would be to not let too many people get you uptight about SIDS. Not that it can't happen, but just use common sense and don't use really fluffy things to snuggle her in (flat/firm surfaces). The first child is always to hardest. I know it's hard to relax because there is so many unknowns, but listen to your baby and you will both sleep better.

This isn't really advice, but I feel I should mention it because your baby is spitting up when she's on her back. Maybe it's something different other than just not liking to sleep on her back.
When my baby was newborn until about 2-3 months, he was spitting up A LOT. (we kept him on his back always!) Sometimes he would spit up formula only and sometimes it was more spit than anything and it was USUALLY when he was sleeping on his back. He was prescibed Zantac and that helps acid reflux. Maybe she's suffering from something else all together and is soothed when she's on her belly and hurting when she's on her back.
I also think that they've done a lot of research and if ALL doctor's are recommending babies sleep on their backs, maybe it's something to be considered.
Good luck and I hope this helps!

The first thing I would like to know is why the doctor says your daughter is at a higher risk for SIDS. Both of my daughters were born over a month premature and therefore, at a higher risk for just about everything, including SIDS. My second one was just like yours- would sleep five minutes on her back and then wake up screaming. She too would only sleep on her belly. She also had a lot of problems with spitting up if she was on her back. The doctor told me she had a mild form of acid reflux and to make sure not to bounce her around after feedings. The only problem was that bouncing is what would calm her if she woke crying. So, I decided to try letting her sleep on her tummy. She is now 19 months old and still sleeps on her tummy most of the time. Yes, I had many less than restful nights in the beginning just because I worried about her on her tummy. Yes, I ended up keeping her in the bassinet in our room for about 2 months longer than I did my first just because I was worried. She stayed in our room in the bassinet until she was almost 6 months old.
I'm not telling you to go against your doctor's wishes, but keep in mind that for lawsuit's sake he has to tell you to put her on her back. If something did happen to her and you said he never told you then you could sue him. Probably not win, but could do some damage to his practice. My doctor told me time and time again, you've got to get her on her back. And after one night of NO sleep I would go right back to what we had been doing. Remember that usually by the time they are 3-4 months old they can turn their heads and the risk is much less.
I don't know if this helped any... I just wanted to let you know there are others of us out there that have experienced/are experiencing exactly what you are. Just don't put stuffed animals and blankets in the crib/bassinet with her, and if you're terribly worried, don't even have the bumper pads in. Take away all the risk possibilities, have a few restless nights but less sleepless nights! Does that make sense? If you are still determined to get her on her back, good luck. I have never been able to sleep any other way than I do because that's how I'm comfortable and NOTHING will change that. Think about that before you try to force the poor baby into something she's not comfortable with!
Happy Friday! Have a good weekend, and seriously, good luck!
M. N.

My 3 kids are older, 14,13,&10 and back then they were infants the advise was put them on their sides. You can do this by placing a wedge or roll up a small blanket and put it behind their backs to keep then on their sides. Your baby may like this better than her back. If you keep her on her back, you may want to try putting a small wedge under her mattress where her head will be. This will keep her head slightly elevated and maybe she will no spit up as much. Good luck. M.

she has tummy problems. My youngest was like that. turned out he had food allergies and his tummy hurt all of the time because I was eating what he was allergic to.My mom said my brother was like that too. He would only sleep on his tummy. Maybe try one of those pillows that lets you kind of put the baby on her side but supports her on the front. It might be enough pressure on her tummy but safer because she is on her side. otherwise my husband and I used to take turns sleeping with him on our chest. the other thing I figured out by accident due to extreme exaughtion is letting him sleep in the baby swing. I fell asleep on the couch one night and neither one of us woke up for 5 hours. It was awsome. Hope some of this helps.

Hi G.,

The only advice I have about getting her to sleep on her back is to try one of those sleep positioners for babies where you can adjust the sides with velcro to keep her snug in one position. Sometimes if you compromise, and put the baby on their side, they will sleep better. You can position the sides any way you want to keep your baby on their side.

My first daughter did the same thing as a newborn. She hated being on her back. Finally, I called her doctor and told them that she would only sleep solidly on her tummy and they said to go ahead and let her. I worried for a little while, but she was a strong baby, so I finally relaxed and she eventually wanted to sleep on her back again.

My second daughter liked sleeping on her back, but as soon as she was old enough to roll over, she has been a tummy sleeper ever since. Babies just do what they want to do sometimes no matter what we try to force them to do. Ulitmately, they are in God's hands. I trust him to guide me in what I should do for my children. My daughter just turned one and I'm pretty sure she's going to be a tummy sleeper for life. : )

If you're really worried, turn up her monitor super loud, check on her frequently, but get some sleep. If she has a strong neck and is of an average weight and wasn't a preemie, I wouldn't worry about it. Hope that helps.

there are specially curved pads to keep them from turning onto their back if that's a problem. You might also try getting her to sleep on a side or sitting up. My daughter wouldn't sleep through the night until we put her in her swing. I know it sounds bad but she slept exclusively in her swing for almost 6 months. We just tucked a blanket around her and she conked out. If your babe is almost instantly waking when on her back she may have trouble breathing or get reflux in that position. I would try elevating her either with towels rolled up under her mattress or in a swing.

we used a product called mylicon to relieve our son's gas issues. maybe that is what this is, or perhaps it is reflux, which is becoming more common in babies. i would try the mylicon first because it might be a good, cheap solution. if it is reflux, you can have her sleep on a slight incline, which will help keep the food in her tummy. having her sleep on her back without the incline just sends food up her esophagus and irritates it, thus making her wake and spit up. Believe it or not, some folks have to have their kids sleep in the carseat to get the right angle for the child to have comfort and sleep. Talk to your dr. there are special foam items out there that will help her to sleep at more of an angle safely. If your dr just pushes you off and says you don't know what you are talking about, get a second opinion. Also ask about pyloric stenosis if you are experiencing projectile vomiting associated with all this. Have a great day and good luck!

L. in seattle

Hi G.,

My advice to you is let her sleep on her tummy. The doctors have to reccomend that to be on the safe side. If she can lift her head and turn it from side to side on her own and you are non-smokers, she will be fine. I have the same situation with my girls. The boys are like their daddy and love to sleep on their backs, but my girls are like me and actually have difficulty breathing and cannot sleep on their backs. My chest hurts and I get horrible heart burn if I try to sleep flat on my back. I wake up with sore ribs if I sleep too long on my side. I sleep like a rock and wake up happy and rested when I sleep on my stomach. The girls are the same way. As soon as your daughter can roll over on her own guess what she will do anyway. :) I know I will get flack for telling you this, but there are some kids that are the exception to the rule and you will cause her more distress forcing her to sleep in a more upsetting and possibly for her more dangerous position. These kids are the reason there has always been so much dissagreement on which way to put kids to sleep. Trust your instincts and let her be. :) I'm in your corner! Good luck and God bless you!

My daughter had reflux issues and we ended up, on the advise of our pediatrician, putting rolled up towels under her mattress so that the mattress was elevated at one end. It was just enough so that she wasn't flat on her back, but not so much that she went sliding down.
That worked really well for her since she wasn't spitting up and uncomfortable, and we weren't
worried that she would spit up and choke on it.

Sounds like she might have a little reflux going on. Try some Gripe Water. You can find it at New Seasons or Fred Meyer. The one made by Wellements is organic and also has chamomile. We love that one. I always let my daughter sleep on her side when she was little. She spit up a lot as well, and she would be in danger of drowning in it either on her back or stomach. So I just put her on her side, making sure to put something snuggling up against her, and that helped. It's amazing she'll sleep 7 hours! I'm sure that will change when teething begins. Their sleep habits change very few months. Don't freak out, just go with the flow. Good luck!

I think if you keep trying, she'll just get used to it. Maybe try putting her to sleep in her car seat. My son is 3 mos and when he was first born would only sleep on his tummy too. I have him in his car seat every night right now and he sleeps 8-10 hours most nights (although he's also 16 lbs so he has a bigger tummy that stays fuller).

Being upright like that should help with the spitting up also. Both of my kids spit up a ton. It wasn't reflux, it was just spitting up. My 3 mo old is still spitting up but with my oldest it just went away when he started sitting up more and eating solids. Some babies are more prone to spit up.

My son too slept better on his tummy. Once she is able to roll over she will move to her tummy from her back anyway. I know and understand the risks of SIDS. There are studies that show that SIDS had to do with babies brains not telling them to turn over and that babies who suck on pacifiers while sleeping on there tummy are a lower risk for SIDS.
Just thought I would share. Good luck!

I have only one piece of information for you, I am by far not the expert, but it sure fires me up when doctors think that there is only one way to do things.....

All three of our kids slept on their tummy. I have twin boys who are four now and a one year old, all of whom slept better on their tummy. The boys were even premeies and at the NCIU they had them sleeping on their tummy and then the day I took them home, they said to try and switch to the back at home! YEAH RIGHT! Apparently it doesn't matter THAT much becasue they were so little and sleeping on the tummy.

On the other hand, I did not let them sleep with tons of blankets either. Just one small one until they got older.

I guess you get to decide, but I couldn't live in fear, or I wasn't sleeping that way either! :) I hope this helps you make a decision that is best for you and your daughter who also needs to sleep!

My son absolutely hated sleeping on his back from birth and much preferred to be snuggled or put on his belly. I got one of those adjustable wedge like thingies and put it so it would be fairly tight on him and he could sleep partially on his side. I would lay a heating pad in it for about 1/2 hour before bed and then pull the heating pad out right before I layed him down. I also had one of those heart beat/womb sounds bears that I would turn on when I put the heating pad in. That way when I laid him down for bed he had a warm, snuggly environment and felt like he was being cuddled. I know it seems like a lot of work but it really wasn't and got me some much needed relaxation, peace, and sleep.

Both of my little boys, now ages 3 and 1, prefered to sleep on their tummies too. What I did to help them sleep on their backs was to get a sleep positioner, they sell them at most places you can get baby stuff, and to raise the head of their mattress so that they were sleeping on an incline with their heads of course being higher than their feet. You can just put a pillow or something similar underneath her mattress to give it a slight boost. The sleep positioner will help keep them from rolling down the raised mattress, and may also make them feel like they're being held depending on the style you buy. Sleeping on an incline also helps keep them from spitting up, and if they do still spit up they won't be choked by it as much as if they are flat on their back. Hope it helps!

I am all about how I think my kids need to be parented. I just had my nephew at 1 month old, pass away in his sleep. The autopsy said that he had choked on his spit up during the night. His parents always put him on his back. This was their first child together. Not to scare you, but I feel that you need to go with your gut feeling. Nowadays all the professionals do all these studies and it's always changing like to the back, the side and the tummy. Have you tried the side? Have you thought about getting a second opinion?

Hi G.,
I too had this same problem with my now 9 month old son. As soon as he turned 1 month old he wouldn't sleep on his back without waking up constantly! So finally I gave in and started letting him sleep on his stomach. I was super scared at first, and would wake up to check on him all night long. When I went to his three month appointment I told his Dr. that he sleeps on his stomach and he said that was fine because he could already hold his head up by himself. My mom (10 kids) told me it's usually kids that already have medical problems that SIDS effects. Don't really know if this is true or not but it made feel better. I say if your daughter is healthy (no medical problems)she should be fine. Just make sure there are no blankets, stuffed animals, or pillows around her head. I think my son got sick with a cold when he was six months and started sleeping on his back again and still does. Sorry I don't know what to do to make her sleep on her back again. Letting my son sleep on his stomach worked for me. He slept on his stomach all the way through the night till he was about 5 months then started waking up to eat because he was too hungry. Now he still wakes up at least once a night for a bottle. I need advice now how to make him sleep all night again! :) The spitting up just goes away with age. Not sure if you are breast feeding or bottle but I found that once I started formula feeding (3 months) when I switched to Enfamil AR formula this reduced his spitting up dramatically. It has an added rice starch so it's a little thicker. Hope this helps. Take care.

ummm.. i have 3 girls; currently have a 6 week old who, like yours, enjoys sleeping on her tummy!!! i believe (and have support from my pediatrician as well as friends who are doctors/nurses) that as long as baby is strong enough to lift up head, turn head from side to side during sleep, and push up body a bit with arms that child is not at risk by sleeping on tummy. all 3 of my babies have done this from the get-go (even at a week old) and we've felt good about our decision to let them do so. crib is in our room, however, and all of our babies have been born approx 8 1/2 lbs & strong. ~good luck with it!

I would try using a wedge under her. They elivate the baby's upper body which helps to reduce spit up (they are commonly recommended for baby's with acid reflux). Most babies sleep better on their tummy but almost everyone would agree that having some extra sleep is not worth the risk of Sudden Infant Death. Swaddling your baby tightly before putting her to sleep can help her to sleep more soundly on her back. It keeps those involuntary jerky baby movements from waking them up so easily. I found that my babies slept better at that age in things like the baby swing and car seat because they were snuggled in tightly and surrounded on both sides. The wide open space of a crib and a flat mattress is such a contrast to the cozy confines of your tummy where they've slept for the last several months.
Luckily, time will fly by and before you know if, your baby will be old enough to roll over and sleep on her tummy any time she likes!

Hi! have you tried swaddling and putting her on her side..propped so she doesn't roll.... another idea... we've been putting our 7 week old in a swing all night. it is battery powered, so we don't have to wind it up a lot. she isn't flat on her back, but propped up a bit. and with the rocking motion, she will sleep 7-9 hrs at night! I got my tips from a book Happiest Baby on the Block....and they work great!

good luck, i know how valuable sleep is!

Sounds like your baby has reflux. My son had it as a baby and still has it now. You can ask your Pediatrician to prescribe her a baby dose of Zantac or the generic Ranitidine-it comes in a liquid form and your doctor can figure out the dose for your baby. My son is 6 years old, and has taken this since he was a baby. Reflux is when stomach contents (like formula or breast milk) always feels like it's in the bottom to the middle of your throat. Sometimes it's stomach acid. You feel like you want to throw up. Also, we had a wedge. He was at Childrens for the first 2-3 months of his life, he was diagnosed with reflux (he would projectile spit up) and he had a huge wedge that was made for him. The Wedge was made of Foam Rubber (like what couch cushions are made out of), and it was the width of his crib, and it was designed to he would sleep in an almost upright position- we would strap him in with the soft velcro straps-the wedge was huge in size. You may want to try having her sleep in her infant carseat for a few nights to see if this works. Just fold an extra blanket on the bottom of the seat so it's softer, strap her in, and see if she sleeps.
Having her sleep on her stomach is dangerous. I know from a previous post that some Mom's don't believe that sleeping on your stomach doesn't cause SIDS, but, studies have shown that it's true.
Good Luck!

SAHM of 2 boys ages 12 and 6. The 6 year old was born with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, and has reflux from the hernia.

Have you tried laying her on her side with a rolled blanket behind her back so that she can't get onto her back? This may works and if she spits up she won't shoke herself awake which may be what happens. When I was growing up, side was the preferred way, now it is the back! I raised my kids on the side, somehow the back didn't work for me.
They say that they have lower instances of SIDS since pushing for back sleeping, they used to say never put a baby on their back as they can shoke on their spit ups.

I had to lift my kids heads when sleeping on their backs. They would wake up as soon as they were flat on their backs.

I have a friend who uses one of those wedge things so her baby can sleep on it's side.

I would see if there is a way to lift the head of the crib and she might do better.

Good luck!!

When she goes down on her back, is she on a wedge or flat?
You might try a wedge to keep her elevated a little that willhelp with the spitting up. Also if you keep the room where she is sleeping on the cool side it will keep her from overheating while sleeping on her tummy which is the risk for SIDS that they get too warm and then can't breath. Good luck.
I had some similar problems, my now 1 year old would go down on her back but would sleep longer on her tummy. I started letting her sleep on her tummy during naps when I could watch her better.
~L.

Let the baby sleep on her back! It is only the past generation that the trend is to put babies on their backs, before that it was advised to put them on their tummy as it may prevent choking if they should spit up or throw up. Your baby is telling you how she feels and does best. Are you breast feeding??? SIDS happens less with breast fed babies. SIDS is rare!

I have a 6 month grandson that did the same thing.So I started putting him on his side. He would sleep good on his tummy. It worked really good. He now sleep all night. If he spits up it will come out. He will sleep on his back now too and you and your husband can have sweet dreams.

A little about me:
I'm a 54yrs old grandma and I take care of my grandson 4 to 5 days and night a week.

Looks like you got alot of good advice! My baby had acid reflux so bad that it sounded like she was drowning when on her back. Peak ages for the SIDS risk is 2-4 months so we put her in an angled memory foam side-sleeper wedge between those ages. I borrowed mine but I think you can get the angled ones at Baby Depot. At 4 months, even though there was still a slight statistical risk, we put her back on her belly. After 6 months very few SIDS cases occur.

Good luck! I know this is a tough decision.

A.

Have you tried on her side? There are these little bumper things you can get to keep her from accidentally rolling onto her stomach.

My son was a spit up baby. I worried about putting him on his back and him choking after spitting up.

My first thought was she needs to be on an incline. Although I DO NOT recommend crib inserts that go inside the crib there are some made to go under the mattress like a wedge to raise it up. That may help. The other option is to try putting the babe to bed in a car seat or swing.
My guess is it may be reflux. Does your doc know about the spitting up while on the back? They may be able to help.
Here is a link to an article addressing the back to sleep campaign with some tips. http://www.sidscenter.org/documents/SIDRC/BackToSleep.pdf
One more thought is the amby bed. it provides ambient motion with your childs movements. I ve heard it can work miracles in cases of reflux.(If that is what is going on.)
good luck!

Have you checked with your doctor if it is acid reflux? My close friend didn't have it diagnosed until her little girl was 2.5 months. Her symptoms were waking up shortly after going to sleep and spitting up a lot. She was waking up because her stomach hurt from the acid reflux.

J.

I would recommend the wedge pillow that positions them half on their side, and half on their back. Also put a wedge, or a regular pillow under the crib mattress where your baby's head is. Make sure the pillow underneath doesn't cause any gaps where baby can get stuck into. I had used an old flat pillow.
Just remember to eliminate the things that baby can get caught up in, blankets, bumpers, toys etc.
The thing about SIDS, is when you are suffocating, the brain alerts you that you are, which causes you to awake and struggle to breathe. Babies with SIDS don't have that thing that wakes you. It took me a long time to find that out. So be cautious, do your research and do everything to eliminate the possibility.

This tells me that something is not right if she's waking up after just few minutes of laying on her back. Have you tried taking her to a chiropractor to be sure she doesn't need aa adjustment? I personally would try a holistic chiropractor, like Total Health off Lake Otis. You could see Dr. Cynowia there she's fantastic! (if you live here in Anchorage, Alaska)Maybe she has some relex condition(like acid reflex). That would explain why she spits up when laying on her back. It can be very unconfortable for her. There is a reason for it. I hate to be negitive but, I don't have a lot of faith in the medical practice. I use natural paths, I feel they have a much healthy approach on things. Thay also find the source of the problem instead of just masking the symptom.

Good luck, remember you are your child's voice. Just because the "medical doctor" says something does not mean their right or there isn't a better way.

Lauri

G.,

My mother put all of her 6 kids in their tummy, and my 4 year old slept on his tummy. Here is my opinion: either continue with your feed/sleep routine and lay him on his tummy (just watch that there aren't any blankets around his head or that he could pull towards his mouth), and just check on him, OR adjust his eat/sleep schedule (during the day anyway). and try to get him on a eat, "play," sleep pattern. This pattern will give him a little longer after eating so that his food is digested more. My friend has a baby who is quite happily on this "schedule," and sleeps fine on his back. He is a spitter too. Good luck!

none of my three kids slept on there back they all slept on there sides and all have slept through the night by 2weeks of age. to get them to stay on there side i would roll up receiving blanket in front and behind them. you could get the things that they have at the store that does the same thing.

Have you tried the Boppy pillow? My firend uses it for her daughter and it helps and that is the only way she will sleep. Good luck!

-Steph

Dear G., I had 2 girls, who both slept on their stomachs, beautiful grown young women now :) They don't know for sure that that causes SIDS but it sounds good, so they say it! Your daughter obviously has a preference! If you are real concerned, take a recieving blanket and role it up, lay her down and role her over so that the blanket keeps her sort of on her side, keep it below her shoulders of course!! It makes me crazy that they generalize like they do, you sound like a good and attentive mother, give yourself some credit...and sleep!!!! God has supreme control over what does and doesn't happen, you might want to talk to another doctor, about your concerns. Hope this helps, R.

Sounds like classic acid reflux to me. Reflux babies do so much better on their stomachs--it's as if the slight pressure on the belly helps some how. The fact that she spits up more while on her back is very telling. My son has reflux, so I've been in the trenches. Will your daughter sleep in a semi-upright position? If so, I recommend the Amby Baby. It will keep her on her back and upright. Or, perhaps you have a swing that she will sleep in? Another option is a Babysence SIDS monitor in her crib--I've never used one, so I can't recommend it either way. There is of course, medicine you could put her on--Zantac, Prevacid, etc. Good luck to you.

AMD

we had the identical problem with our son at 2 months (had let him sleep on his stomach, but with the increase SIDS risk from 2-4 months wanted him on his back). What made all the difference in the world was taking him to a Pediatric Chiropractor. After the first visit his colic reduced, his reflex reduced, and by the third visit he was sleeping on his back. Type "pediatric chiroprator" into Google and you will get the international organization to find someone near you. I was shocked at the difference it made.

Also, for the spitting up, try Baby Acidophilus - 3 billion units... our son has been on it since 3 weeks old and it helped his acid reflux and spitting up.

Amazing what natural things can do to fix the problems rather than meds.

Our son now sees the chiropractor about once every two months for a check up... it is recommended to see a pediatric chiropractor at each physical development stage - head holding, sitting, crawling, walking, to ensure proper posture and muscle tone.

The chiro uses an instrument called an Activator, set at the lowest setting, our son loves it as he thinks he is getting a massage... usually after he has his low back adjusted he has a large bowel movement as the tension is removed, and he usually sleeps very peacefully. (A great cure for constipation due to tighness around the intestonal area).

Hopefully this can help...

Maybe ask your doctor about the possibility of placing her on her side to sleep. There are special cushions that you can get that will keep the baby either on the side or back position. My little boy loved to sleep on his side when he was very young. When he got more mobile, I switched him to his back, no problem

hello, seems you have lots of responses to this one, I am a MOM of 10 and 17 year old son's .
Both slept on their tummys. First I want to ask you, do you believe everything your doctor tells you? Just due to my own experience don't always believe the doc. Do your own research. SIDS,, for one has no scientific explanation or proof. If you sleep on your back and spit up where does it go? back down your throat and you could choke. same for babies, they can't roll over yet. There is a book called The Family Bed.. No children die from sleeping with their parents. Both my boys were sleeping in my bed till they felt comfortable sleeping in there own bed. Humans are meant to snuggle and be loving.. our society makes us do things we may not feel comfortable doing. in your own heart and mind, do what feels right .. D.

I have 3 children, ages 20, 17, and 10. When my kids were infants we were told NOT to have them sleep on their backs. I always worried about them choking if they happened to spit up (my middle child spit up alot) while on their backs. So I never had them sleep on their backs. I've also notice that these kids whose parents had them always sleep on their backs have flat heads. Yes, SIDS is real, but I think society and sometimes doctors are just freaking out these new parents with it. If your daughter doesn't like sleeping on her back try having her sleep on her side. I had one of those foam wedges that you could prop them up in to keep them from rolling over. Then I would rotate which side they slept on. If I happened to be without my wedge I would roll up two receiving blankets, one for the back and one for the stomach, and prop my babies up with that.
When my oldest two were little I had a pediatrician that gave me the best piece of advice. He said, "You are his mother, trust your instincts. If you feel there might be something wrong check it out. If your instincts say it's alright, it probably is."
Bottom line, your baby has to sleep comfortably however you can accomplish this.