Baby Sleeping Flat on Face

How old is the newborn?
How soft is the couch?
It looks like I'm the only one here voting for the fact that it's not as bad as everyone is saying. The infants nose will flatten and she can breath just fine through the sides. Is it ideal? Probably not. Before the huge campaign for babies to sleep on their backs, and now they have flat heads, we put our babies to sleep on their tummies with the head tilted. I cannot even tell you how many times I walked in and the baby was face down, adjusted themselves into that position. They're all good and grown up now.

NO! It is NOT ok! If the baby is a newborn, then she needs to gently tilt the babys head to the side!!! They sleep thru everything so he/she wont wake up. Newborns do not have the neck control to move their own head when they are on their bellies and are so young and their nostrils are so small they are easily blocked. I dont know why she wouldnt just tilt his/her head!! You are right to be concerned.

Did you leave it at that? I would have asked her something like, "So, how can you tell that she can breathe?"

No. It is not ok. I'd hate for her to learn the hard way like a family who lived near us. Their daughter suffocated in her crib and mom was right next to her in the rocking chair catching a little shut eye. (no not SIDS!!)
Tragic, tragic incident.

NO! NOT okay. Scary. A baby won't even give you much signal he/she can't breathe, and then it's too late.

This really calls out for one of those difficult "This really hard for me to say, but there's something I'm really concerned about" conversations.

No its not ok. The baby could suffocate easily in that position. At a newborn's stage of development, they don't have the needed head and neck strength to pick up their head and turn it to get air. That mother is stupid for thinking its ok to do this even if she is right there. The only time when its ok to have a baby sleep on their tummy is when :
a. they are old enough to raise their head/neck and turn it to get air.
b. they can roll over front to back easily
c. they are in NICU and the nurses are constantly monitoring this.

It is NEVER ok on a soft surface like a couch and in the way it was described or the baby's young age.

I hope that baby is ok!!! Good for you for pointing it out----I would push your friend a bit more about it so she knows the risks...