While I can’t claim to be a medical expert, I’m just a three-time mom, I can’t help but share what works best for us when it comes to putting a baby to sleep on their tummy!
I truly believe that babies thrive best when they are put to sleep on their stomachs. Yet, in today’s modern culture, doctors and other health professionals will say that you should only put your baby to sleep on their back. Some even claim that if you don’t, your baby will die. They continue to fear-monger mothers.
They often link putting baby to sleep on their tummy to SIDS or other health concerns. But the research doesn’t quite justify this and in fact, new research is being released showing no correlation at all. (I would encourage you to do your own research, as I am not linking any scientific studies here.)
However, I knew from my mother, and the mother’s all before her, that babies have been going to sleep on their tummy for generations. When I tried it with my babies, I could see the benefits immediately!
With my first child, a daughter, I tried putting her on her back throughout the first few months and could see she hated it. When I consistently put her to sleep safely on her tummy, she slept so easily and peacefully. All my babies after have only slept on their stomachs and have had the same wonderful results.
Let’s talk about those here…
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Self-Soothing/Suck Their Thumb
When you are putting a baby to sleep on their tummy, they can easily find their thumb, fist, or finger to suck. I encourage thumb and finger sucking with my children because it allows them to soothe themselves whenever necessary. It is comforting to them and gives me a much-needed break from pacifying them at the breast.
I also love that I don’t need to rely on a plastic pacifier, as I choose not to use it with my babies for several reasons. When my children are a few years old, I break the finger-sucking habit and teach them how to fall asleep and comfort themselves when they are upset another way.
Around three or four months old my children have all consistently started sucking a thumb or finger and easily put themselves to sleep in their crib. They enjoy the security of always having it right with them. Sleeping on their tummy encourages this habit faster. I also notice that my babies cry very little with this method.
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No Tummy Time Needed
I see a huge push from doctors and health professionals to spend a few minutes or even up to an hour of tummy time with your child each day, depending on their age. That has never been necessary for me with my children.
Because I put them to sleep on their tummy, they are constantly having tummy time in their crib. Before they fall asleep or when they wake up, they are working all their appropriate muscles to strengthen their neck and back.
As a busy mom, it is one less thing for me to worry about fitting into my day! I have found that all my babies sit up faster and are stronger than the average baby, and I don’t do any sort of extra, specific tummy time.
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No Swaddling Necessary
When you put your baby to sleep on their tummy, you don’t swaddle them. They naturally feel the pressure of the mattress under them to comfort them and help with sudden reflexes, like a swaddle would.
You also don’t need to train your baby to use a swaddle and then slowly train them to transition out of it once they begin rolling. Your baby instead learns how to sleep appropriately outside of the womb from day one and continues to sleep that same way!
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No Flat Head
Going along with the tummy time point above, if your baby sleeps on their tummy you don’t have to worry about them getting a flat head. This often happens to babies that sleep on their backs and also spend a lot of daytime on their backs as well, such as in a car seat.
You do want to check that your baby when sleeping on their tummy, rotates their head to both the left and the right. If you find your baby only sleeps with their head pointed one way, be sure to see a chiropractor who specializes in babies to get it corrected.
Related Post: Top 7 Must Have Baby Items For Two Under Two
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Helps Relieve Gas And Burps
This was the biggest benefit that I saw with my children when I put them to sleep on their tummy. My babies all spit up quite a bit and constantly have burps and air bubbles. (They were all exclusively breastfed.)
When they sleep on their tummy, that pressure it puts on their stomachs helps release all the gas and pain. It naturally burps them sometimes too. They are way less fussy and upset when they sleep on their stomachs.
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Baby Feels Comforted
Lastly, all of these things together help babies feel comforted when they sleep. I find that babies swaddled and put to sleep on their backs often cry more because they feel abandoned.
My babies all love to sleep on their tummy and I hear the same from other moms. However many mothers never consider these things because it isn’t talked about. They often don’t want to go against what their doctor advised them to do.
Trust your gut and do what is best for your baby! And always make an informed and educated decision. Any questions? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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