sleeping on tummy overnight

[Bathsheba]

I'm hesitant to say "Don't worry" but I know the risk of SIDS etc is very real. But I thought I would just share my story. Essentially none of my children would sleep on their backs when they were babies. With my first two i felt guilty but if I am honest I didn't worry too much as I knew that there were no other risks: their mattresses were new and firm, there were no cot bumpers or toys in with them when they slept, DH and I didn't smoke etc. Also my children were very healthy and strong from birth. They could all hold their heads steady within days of being born and could also lift them off the cot within a very brief time frame of being born.

With my first child I was discharged the day after I gave birth so the nurses/doctors didn't get a chance to pull me up on the fact that my DD was exclusively tummy sleeping. With my second child I was in a private hospital for a week and they did kind of mention it... but agreed that my DS was very strong and after checking that i knew about all the other risks I think they seemed ok about giving me a blind eye.

With my 3rd child I fessed up straight away. I told the paed that did my discharge examination that my previous 2 children both tummy slept and that this child too was showing strong signs of resisting being put on his back. Well she lowered her voice and said "From my experience about 1 in 10 babies refuse to sleep on their backs. They are almost always very strong babies and I have noticed a tendency for this to run in families". She went on to say that I had to very seriously remember all the other guidelines about safe sleeping. Also if there was any sign of a respiratory infection to explore side sleeping as SIDS babies often have a history of chest infections. But to me it finally sounded like i had an endorsement to allow my baby to tummy sleep. BUT it was given after a personal consultation. I would be very hesitant to say that any child who fits the profile of my children be freely allowed to tummy sleep. ETA: we never used a monitor, our babies either co-slept or slept in a bassinet beside my side of the bed.

I think I have heard that once they have the ability to roll over in the night that it's not as important to place them down on their backs... but I could be wrong.