SIDS and belly sleeping

Specialties Pediatric

Published

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I know we are supposed to put baby back to sleep. I have always done this. Once she could roll to her side, she would sleep on her side. Everytime I went to check on her she would be on her side, and I would place her on her back. Now that she can roll front to back and back to front, I always find her sleeping on her belly. Several times a night. I always turn her to her back again. I do not use bumpers or blankets, toys or any stuffed animals in her crib. How do I get her to stay on her back? What concernes me, is that sometimes I find her face down. Smushed into the mattress. How can she breathe or even be comfy like that? This am we found her face down w/ her butt in the air. My baby is 5 1/2 months old. She still wakes several times a night to eat. (Breastmilk) Do you guys have any idea's on how to keep her on her back? Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I think you are doing all that you can. While BTS is ideal, it is impossible to "enforce" with a baby mobile enough to change her own position. Adding bumpers to try and keep her in place would have risks of its own, and probably not be effective anyway.

BTS is especially important in babies who lack the muscle strength and coordination to lift their faces away from the mattress and/or roll over. By this age, it sounds like she is doing both, so the likelihood of her trapping her face in the mattress (and re-breathing CO2) is low.

I would recommend that you continue to reposition her when you find her on her tummy, but don't drive yourself crazy over it. What does your pediatrician recommend?

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

Thanks so much for replying!

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I should add that BTS is only one aspect of SIDS prevention. Dressing baby in appropriate night clothes, avoiding loose items in the crib (blankets, pillows, bumpers, stuffed animals), avoiding over-heating, not exposing baby to smoke, providing appropriate care for respiratory infections, etc. are all important, too. Nursing Spectrum Online has a good article on new guidelines for SIDS prevention. http://www.nursingspectrum.com

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