when can i let baby sleep on his belly?

My son is 8 1/2 months old and has recently started flipping himself onto his stomach in his sleep, and tonight for the first time he fell asleep on his belly... can I leave him? My SO had a shitfit when he seen it but while Im still awake and right beside him im not too worried.. but it kinda freaks me out too.. I can hear, see and feel him breathing but should I flip him before I go to sleep?

LLB

I believe it is ok once they are able to do it in their own. So if you put him down on his back and he flipped to his belly by himself I would leave him.

I don't know if that is the "right" answer but that is what I did when mine were little.

january

a yEAR

Beachy

I think it's once they start flipping on there own.
And it is only a recent development that society says back is best. For generations moms were told to make babies sleep on their tummies.
So if you see him turn him back up but don't panic over it.

just_care

I was told that when babies roll over on their own and can turn their head to the side it's okay for b them to sleep on their stomach.

MarySunshine

Baby beastie will be 8mo this month, he started rolling over and holding his head up just between five-six months. He's been sleeping on his stomach since, well more like in a little ball. He's been sleeping better since then.

When in doubt talk to your pediatrician.

MarySunshine

Beachy said:

And it is only a recent development that society says back is best. For generations moms were told to make babies sleep on their tummies..

^This, too. When we were infants my mom put us down on our tummies. Her thought was, if we spit up it would be to the side instead of choking on it. Our pediatrician was fine with it. That was 30 years ago. (Crap that feels weird saying....but I'll be 30 Monday.) I am still a stomach sleeper to this day, which makes months 5-9 a pain in the ass during pregnancy.

mills827

I'll probably get flamed for this, but my 4 month old sleeps on her stomach. It's the only way she will sleep. My 3 year old was the same way when she was a baby. It makes me nervous, but I check on her frequently, and she sleeps great through the night.
as for your son, I wouldn't worry, since he can roll.

momma2A

I'm not sure there's any stopping them once they're rolling on their own unless you are going to check on them all might long.

I stopped worrying when DD could roll herself over.

mommyof2_76

Mine has slept on her tummy since she was 1 month. I told my pediatrician when she was 2 mo. And she said it was probably better for het anyway because she had acid reflux. When ds14 was born they said to have him sleep on his side. I think they change their minds every decade or so. Plus once they can roll and crawl its kinda out of your hands anyway. Babies sleep how they wanna sleep.

i let him be until i decided to sleep, then i flipped him over for my own peace of mind

Thanks for the replies everyone!!!

beansma3

I started letting him sleep on his belly when he could properly roll both ways.. around 5 months

MorganD

When my kiddos started rolling over on their own, so I let them sleep however they wanted. If I rolled them back over, they got mad.lol All three are good, healthy boys. :) No worries, your little one will be fine.

irishlass

Hmm my baby slept on his belly, like, always! By 8.5 months he would get laid down on his back, flip onto his belly, stand up, have a look around, lie down again on his belly, twist and turn and move all around.

BellaBefana

if he's turning himself over, then he's probably fine. I always just put mine in jammies that would keep her warm and left off blankets...she never stayed covered anyway.

It changes all the time regarding recommendations for tummy vs. back vs. side sleeping. Mine was a puker, so I wasn't comfortable with her on her back, I usually propped her on her side if she wasn't sleeping with me.

BeautifulDefiance

The reason for back sleeping is because if their face gets pushed into the bed and they can't roll over they could suffocate. That's also the reason for no pillows/stuffed animals etc. once they can roll on their own they can correct it if this happens. So it's ok once they are rolling themselves over regularly and unassisted

cheesehead4ever

My kids started rolling onto their tummies around 7 to 8 months. I would put them onto their backs again. Within 20 minutes, back onto their tummies. It was hopeless. I think as long as they roll back and forth, I think it's okay. Plus my babies never had anything more than a fitted sheet in their crib until after a year. So the only thing they could have suffocated on was the mattress.

Sassy

Mine started at 3 months. He could roll both ways on his own, turn his head side to side and lift his head and shoulders. I stopped worrying and let him

Zidasha

My oldest started turning over onto his stomach at 3 months. My second wanted nothing to do with his back after the 3rd wk. and my youngest, now 4 months, has slept on her stomach since day one. I did try putting her on her back but after she damn near choked on her spit up cause she didn't know enough to turn her head I stopped that.

Lolthlorien

My LO has been sleeping on her tummy since 3 weeks. She's now 5 mo. She's an acid reflux baby and screamed everytime she was laid on her back. She's been rolling both ways since about 3 mo and we got a crib mattress protecter. She sleeps 12 hour nights but I am still up checking on her throughout the night I can't help myself. But basically we sat down with her ped and made the descion together.

SnugglePuss

Both of my girls were put on their bellies from day one. They just slept better that way.

momofeveryone

mydshad the special sleep positioner and was swaddled, on his back, till after 5 months. then he hit teething. then i gave up and he slept how ever i got himtolay down.

dd, shes been fun (not!)! she is a tummy sleeper and has been since month three when she learned to roll by kicking her legs up. she crazy strong and by 5 months was wiggling around the crib. shes 9 months now and sleeps on her belly.

jenh9

I personally never felt comfortable with it until that one year mark. I had read that even if they turn their head while on their stomachs, Co2? or something can pool which "could" be a cause of SIDS. IF they do sleep on their tummies, have either a ceiling fan (on low) or floor fan on, which can help the air circulate. Not sure if this is factual info, but it gave me piece of mind.

Mom_of_3_Boys

All three of my sons were belly sleepers. They just would just not sleep on their backs, and if places on their backs asleep, they'd wake up instantly! They are now 13, 5 and 2. It was nerve wracking, especially with all this "ack to sleep" campaign you hear about, but it was either the belly, or NO ONE slept!

crazybroad

one kid slept on her back the other two slept on their tummies from the get go. never had any problems. like someone posted before babies have been sleeping on their bellies forever. i let mine sleep how they are comfortable. but i think if you are worried then once they can roll on their own they will find a comfy way to sleep.

wen0416

I always put my daughter on her back (she is 6 1/2 months now), and yeah last weekend she flipped herself over and fell asleep, I was paranoid all night!! I didn't want to wake her up by flipping her back over, but I kept checking on her (she sleeps in her bed next to my bed still). She does it all the time now (I think she is going to be a tummy sleeper like I am!). I just make sure there are no blankets or anything up around her head for her to get tangled up in. She is all over the place when she is asleep though, I will look in at one point and she is sideways, an hour later she is flipped around to the other side. This is why her little butt doesn't sleep in the bed with me! lol

GisleyandHank

I've always heard that that's when it's safe for them to sleep on their stomachs, when they can roll over themselves. Just make sure there's nothing like a loose blanket or pillow that baby can smother in.

MommyOf2AndDone

My daughter is three months today & has been sleeping on her tummy since she was three weeks old or so. She would NOT sleep on her back or side. She has been moving her head back and forth since then, and I did it with my son... They have changed the "way to sleep" a few times. I think as long as you're comfortable, go for it! Just my opinion. :)