Does anyone else have a bub that just won't go to sleep on their back?

[tinkerbelle]

My darling little boy just flails his arms and legs everywhere every time I put him on his back. He resists swaddling probably as its so hot/summer atm, so we just tuck him in really tight with a light wrap into his bassinette - but on his back he just kicks the blankets straight off and he never settles.
As he has colic and reflux, I can completely understand why he doesn't want to sleep all stretched out on his back - the natural thing is to curl your legs up when your tummy hurts and you cant do that on your back.
Ive experimented with putting him on his tummy - he goes to sleep straight away and sleeps for 4hrs at times.. most of the time.. sometimes he just wants to sleep on his tummy on my chest though.
Ive been sleeping him on his tummy during the day only and checking on him frequently, but Im worried about these SIDS recommendations. And I caved in last night and put him on his tummy to go to sleep in the middle of the night - on his own mattress in the middle of my bed tucked in with his own sheets just like he would be in his cot, and I was able to get some sleep and so did he (DH is sleeping in another room atm)..
Has anyone else been through this drama? Why do these SIDS rec's just seem so unrealistic?

[toomanyshoes]

If it's too hot have you tried swaddling him in a muslin wrap (or something else really really thin) and just a nappy?

I've never done anything other than on their backs even when DD co-slept for 6months.

[Babyluv]

Tinkerbelle we have the exact same problem. Our little girl has silent reflux and colic too. She will not settle on her back at all. I've resorted to lying in a semi upright position all night with her sleeping on my chest. The bassinet is raised 30degrees but doesn't help. If she's not asleep on my chest she is asleep on her back in a semi upright position beside me cradled in my arm as we both try sleep. She hates being swaddled too but the flailing wakes her if she's not. I keep her just in a short sleeved/leg suit and wrap her, pat her to sleep and then move her into the crook of my arm or if she is on my chest I just put a muslin wrap over here.
It's tough. I'll be interested to see what others have to say.

[luna moth]

We were given some wafer-thin muslins, I think they might have been from Best & Less, and they are ace on a hot day. We wrap up our little noodle, then give her a rock, and a top-up feed, then another rock, then when she is completely zonko, put her in the cot, and then put another muslin over the top and tuck her in really tightly, so that if she gets colic attacks, she there's resistance against her body. It's the only way that works for us, otherwise she has to sleep on her side, which I only let her do if I am sleeping next to her. She does sleep on her tummy, but I won't let her because of the SIDS risk.

[raffy]

DS sleeps on his belly all the time, unless he has a full belly this is the only way he will settle and stay asleep, he hates blankets full stop, wont have a bar of them, no matter how tight you do it he will wriggle his way out. we've resorted to dressing him in long arm/leg suits. anyway the point i was making is hes a tummy sleeper and hes doing just fine. from what i hear its actually quite common and the stronger they get and the better neck control they have the more confindent you will get to. just go with the flow and do what works for you and bub

[Arimeh]

All three of mine have been tummy sleepers. Coincidentally (maybe?) 2 have had reflux, one with silent reflux.

I have a breathing monitor attached to their cot, so I'm not concerned with the SIDS risk associated when lying them on their tummy to sleep.

[LimeSlice]

DD Was a tummy sleeper, and wasn't swaddled from about 2 weeks old - she hated it and given she wanted to sleep on her tummy, swaddling was just reckless.

So long as you do it properly, there is really no reason tummy sleeping can't be safe, and get yourself a breathing monitor like Mel if you are concerned. (I never used one)

[JaCaMaDy]

I had the same problem with my DD. She wouldn't tolerate being wrapped even with muslin, and would settle really well on her tummy. We use a babysense breathing monitor, it will alarm if breathing slows to less than 10 breaths in a minute which gives us a sense of security.

When putting DD to sleep on her back - we were told about the "wrap me up swaddle" by Love Me Baby (google or eBay) - It's THE best advice I have ever been given. She just wears just a nappy if its hot, or normal clothes if its not & is zipped into this lil stretchy suit - she can still suck her hands, kick legs etc, but she doesn't flail around & stuff. She sleeps up to 12hrs at night now. I've been using them since she was 4 weeks old.

3 or 4 other mums in my mothers group are using them now. The latest mum was really skeptical & only started in the last week. According to her FB updates, she is rapt with it

Cheers Bec


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[Babyluv]

I have the angel care monitor with pads it's really good, sounds within 5 secs of taking her out of the basinett. I'm still too scared to let her tummy sleep, maybe I'm being ridiculous and should let her.

[RainbowBrite]

My ds4 is a tummy sleeper and would not settle any other way.
He has reflux also.
I am sure some of it also has to do with the fact that they sleep them on there tummy's in the nursery and he was in there for 15 weeks.
He still tummy sleeps now at one and if I roll him over he rolls straight back onto his tummy.