Your child has reached a new developmental milestone: your baby is rolling over! You are ecstatic about your precious creation learning a new skill but then the dread sits in. What happens when your sleeping child rolls over at night? What if he or she gets stuck? What about suffocation? And then there is SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)! As soon as this achievement is attained, there are all these endless, scary possibilities, which can be sleepless nights for you and your whole family. Well, don’t get too worried too quickly. There are a few things you need to know.
First off, celebrate your baby’s achievement because that is what it is! Your child is growing every day and just seeing him or her transform before you is the most amazing and wonderful feeling in the world. Savor this moment – even when you sleep train at age 4 months – because soon your tiny, sleeping baby will be crawling, walking, and then running! But until then, here are some questions you may have that can easily be answered.
How Do I Keep My Baby From Rolling Over At Night?
There are a few safe solutions for this. Sleepers are a great way to prevent your little one from rolling over at night during sleep. Now sleepers are different from the swaddle. Do not put on a swaddle when your baby starts rolling. Swaddles come loose and can become a suffocation hazard, especially when your child is still trying to practice rolling. Make sure the sleeper is the right size and not too big. Any loose clothing can become a suffocation hazard, even loose bedding. Your baby’s sleep time is as important as it is crucial – comfort is a must. You should also read about the best sleep tips to help you with this.
I want to add that this is perfectly normal. Health professionals say that once a baby rolls over, it is all right for the baby rolling over its stomach, meaning from back to tummy. Most babies typically roll from back to tummy when they are within 5-7 months. There is only about a week where your child will be weak at rolling over and may end up stuck. So try not to worry too much. Just make sure the bed is clear of blankets, pillows, toys, and any other suffocation hazards as these may cause safety concerns.
What If My Baby Rolls Over While Sleeping?
What if your baby rolls onto their stomach while they sleep? Should you let your child roll over at all? Like I said earlier, young babies are fine to fall asleep on their stomachs if they roll over onto it. Now, I want to remind you that you should never lay your baby on their stomach. Make sure you put them to sleep on their back.
It’s normal to find your baby in a different position than the one you left them in. If you come in and your baby rolls over in sleep, you can roll them or back over. There is no hazard in putting your child back on his or her back after they have rolled over. Luckily, this phase usually lasts for only a couple of weeks.
Can Babies Wear Sleep Sacks When They Roll Over?
Yes, that’s totally fine and completely safe. They can wear sleep sacks as long as the sleep sack allows movement of the arms. When you sleep train, your baby needs to have access to moving their arms so if they get stuck or need to roll back over. This is why you should stop swaddling your baby once it can roll over. The arms of a swaddled baby will be restrained and can cause them to be face down and suffocate. The sleep sack and removing the swaddle provide a safe sleep position for your precious infant.
When Can I Stop Worrying About SIDS?
SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is something many parents find themselves worrying about. This is especially true for newborns up to around 6 months. 6-month-old babies are still at risk for SIDS all the way up until they are a year old. There are a few reasons why sleep related infant deaths happen, but data has shown that there’s an increased risk if you put your baby to sleep on their tummy. So always lay them on their back to sleep. On the other hand, you can do tummy time or laying your baby on his stomach while they’re awake. Tummy time actually strengthens your baby’s back and spine. It’s scary, but safe sleep practices and a safe sleeping space go a long way in keeping your baby safe and healthy.
Can I Let My 6-Month-Old Sleep On Their Stomach?
When you put your 6-month-old to sleep, make sure to put them on their back. It is okay for your baby to move to a new position in their sleep, but to practice safe sleep, always, always put them on their back when you put your baby to sleep.
Make sure to always take precautionary measures. Remove all items like pillows and loose blankets from the crib, bassinet, or sleep area. Make sure you have no bumpers or sleep positioners on the baby’s crib. These are dangerous suffocation hazard because it is fluffy like a pillow, and your baby could get stuck in the fabric.
Sleep training is a wonderful tactic to help prevent this hazard from happening. The goal of sleep training is for your baby to learn and master proper sleep habits. The sleep training method takes about seven days to complete. It’s just a few days and a few nights that are worth every time you spend with your baby.
Can I Let My 9 Month Old Sleep On Their Stomach?
Again, when you lay your baby in their bed, make sure to put them on their back. This is always the safest solution. By this point though, your baby has enough strength that they will be rolling over and changing so many positions that you shouldn’t be worried about them getting stuck.
Just practice safe sleeping by providing a safe, clean environment for your baby to sleep in. Remove all toys, pillows, blankets, loose bedding, stuffed animals, and other objects. Do not have toys hanging on the sides of the crib or have a bumper. There are some mesh bumpers but it is just safer to have no bumper at all. It’s important to have a safe infant sleeping environment.
Why Does My Baby Sleep Face Down?
Just like adults, many babies move positions to get comfortable. They may be more on their stomach while sleeping than their backs and if they can do it independently then they are fine to do so. If you are that worried, which often is first-time parents’ anxiety can be crawling all over, you can flip your baby back over. Just be forewarned that your baby may or may not wake up because of this.
When My Baby Rolls Over, They Cry, Why Is That?
What if your baby rolls over during sleep and starts crying? In the beginning, your baby may not have the strength to roll back over. Because of this, your baby may get frustrated or irritated that it can’t move into a more comfortable position. Crying is the only way they can communicate their feelings before they can speak and so this can be normal. If your baby is constantly crying, please ask your baby’s doctor. If you have any concerns that still seem to linger, there is never harm in asking your baby’s doctor. The pediatrician is there for you and they are the experts. They will provide more evidence based information that is up to date and safe for you to follow.
What Else?
Your baby rolling over is just another stepping stone for them to achieve independence. Babies sleep on their stomachs often when they start to roll over. Don’t be alarmed if you find your baby rolling over onto their stomach when sleeping. This is just a natural achievement. Just make sure you take the necessary precautions that have been outlined earlier in this article. If you are still worried and would like more resources, here are a few below:
https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/when-do-babies-roll-over#when-does-it-start
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/sids-prevention#1
FAQs
Why Is My Baby Rolling Over In Sleep And Crying?
Is It Worrisome if Babies Roll Over In Their Sleep?
How Do I Stop My Baby From Rolling Over In The Night?
Do Sleep Sacks Prevent Rolling Over?
Are Sleep Sacks Safe For Babies Rolling?
Is SIDS Caused By Baby Rolling Over?
What Happens If My Baby Starts Rolling Onto Her Stomach At Night?
Is It OK For A 6-Month-Old To Sleep On Their Belly?
Does Rolling Cause Sleep Regression?
Do Babies Cry When They Roll Over?
How Long Does Rolling Sleep Regression Last?
How Do Autistic Babies Roll Over?
Do Babies Sleep Better After Rolling?
How Long Does The Rolling Phase Last?
Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Jeanne Meets
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