Sleeping on Stomach

Updated on December 03, 2006
J.R. asks from Sioux City, IA
14 answers

I HAVE A 4 MONTH OLD AND SHE HAS ACID REFLUX PRETTY BAD. (SHE IS ON 2 MEDS FOR IT) SHOULD I LET HER SLEEP ON HER STOMACH. SHE SEEMS TO SLEEP SO MUCH BETTER. I KNOW THE SIDS THING, BUT JUST WONDERING??

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B.M.

answers from Des Moines on

I have a little girl who is almost 3 months old and if I lay her down right away after I feed her she gets the hiccups no matter what I got her one of the boppy pillows it is just a big neck pillow really. I has helped so much. it was only about $20. Hope this helps.

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C.H.

answers from Lincoln on

I tried to get my son to sleep on his side. But he always figured out how to roll over to his tummy. He's always slept on his tummy. I worried to about sids. But I've never had any problems w/ my son sleeping on his tummy. My son always had a binky when he slept (w/o the binky attatchment - that attaches to clothing). I heard it helps if they have a binky / pacifier when they sleep. That helps them to remember to breath or something to that effect. Hope this helps.

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J.S.

answers from Missoula on

I am a nurse and a mom of 2. I understand your concern. I would say that sleeping on her stomach is just too risky. SIDS really happens and it happens to the most unexpecting parents. Do you have a mattress that can be propped up so that she is sleeping at a 45 degree angle. I have heard about wedges that can be put underneath the crib mattress to elevate the babies head. Good luck, it must be frustrating and sad to see your baby with such bad reflux. She will grow out of it too. Promise!

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C.

answers from Lincoln on

J.-

Honestly, I really think all of it is are myths! My daughter used to throw the wedge pieces off of the thing and then lay the way she wanted. Which was on her stomach anyway and she seems just great! Also, my in-laws were talking about how they used to sleep on their stomaches too as babies. But I would not put her down on her stomach, I would use the wedge and then see what happens. Using the wedge is supposed to help out their head too. I wish you the best of luck!

C.

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M.A.

answers from Omaha on

My youngest had this pretty bad too. I think sleeping on the stomach is still pretty dangerous especially with acid reflux, you dont' want her to choke on it. We put a pillow under her mattress that inclined her bed just a little bit so that she slept at a slight incline. It wasn't so much that she would slide down it or anything, just very slight, but it really helped. Also, we had her on meds for it, but our ped also recommended giving her a little shot of Mylanta--this helped alot right before bed or when she awoke in the middle of the night due to it. They don't make an children's Mylanta, just use the regular stuff (after talking to your Dr!). I am also unsure of the dosage. I think it was like 1/2 tsp. or something. Good luck. It sucked!! I really feel like we got gypt out of the first 5 months of her life due to acid reflux.

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H.E.

answers from Lincoln on

J.,
All 5 of my babies had reflux, and against doctors advice, I slept all 5 on their tummies. My personal experience is that I have seen them sputter and choke during the day when laying on their backs playing. I want to sleep when I can and know I won't if they could choke on their spit. Plus, they all had strong necks and move and lift their heads from the start. They occasionally had a damp cheek, but to me it was better than suffocating on spit.

I did (still do for the babies) keep the bed at an angle as well. And, there are no bumpers or extra blankets for them to choke on sleeping. This is a tough one, and it's your call. But, my sister in law told me the other day they found that a gene causes sids.

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M.S.

answers from Sioux City on

J., I know what you are going through. My now 5 yr old daughter had the same thing. At 5 days she gave us a big scare and I thank god we were awake when this happened. She started shaking really bad and the 1st thing I thought was seizure. My hubby called for an abulance. All the sudden she had a lot of bubbly spit coming from her mouth and next thing you know she stopped breathing. I was scared! Paramedics arrived and got her breathing, thank god. Did a cat scan and other test at the hospital. Finally the big relief....not a seizure. BUT...acid reflux. We spent 1 week in the hospital to find that out. They sent her home on a Apnea monitor (and zantack) and it was my piece of mind. She also slept better on her stomach. I let her since I knew the monitor was there to alarm me. Trust me...there is no sleeping through the alarm on that thing.
Is she on one?
M. S.

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M.W.

answers from Pocatello on

When JJ was born he was diagnosed with Acid Reflux shortly after I let him sleep on his stomach but made sure everything bulky was out of the crib I even bought him a blanket that zipped around his body rather then using a lose one

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M.C.

answers from Davenport on

hi J. , i have four kids my self the youngest being 4 and i remember my doctor saying put them on there side put a blanket behind them . but none of my kids was for all that they hated being on the side or there back . they all wanted to be on there tummys an d they slept much better on there tummys . i got better baby monitor and just checked on them more offten .
i hope this helps you just use your gut felling .

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M.W.

answers from Boise on

There is so much advice not to sleep on the belly, I wouldn't. What we did that worked wonders is to put a pillow under the crib matress (head end) to elevate it just slightly. They even make wedge pillows althought they are quite spendy. The elevation helps contents stay in her belly! Good luck! (It's a long road...but mine completely stopped at one year old.)

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K.B.

answers from Billings on

NO NO NO please don't she is way to little the only time that she should be aloud to sleep on her stomach is when you are there the whole time if you want to let her fall asleep on her stomach then turn her once she is a sleep that would be ok but you have to stay until she falls asleep. When she is old enough to hold her head up on her own and can roll over with out any problems then maybe but even then I would be very careful. I have already lost a baby at 27 days old and would hate to see anyone else lose a baby. So what ever you decide to do be VERY CAREFUL.

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T.K.

answers from Rapid City on

Honestly let her sleep that way she wants, I have 3 kids and I couldn't get my middle one to stay on his back to save my life. He always slept with his butt in the air and only his head covered. Now he's five. Also my friend baby had acid reflux at that age , turned out to be milk alergy instead.

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J.D.

answers from Billings on

bebe sounds makes a baby monitor with a sensor pad that goes underneath the mattress and hooks into the monitor that goes in the babies room. If the sensor pad doesn't detect any movement (as small as a breath) for 20 seconds an alarm goes off on your end. Mine was used up until my son quit sleeping in his crib (about 2 years), and it went off 1 time. So it wasn't a false alarm kind of thing, and it does work.

Walmart carries it for about $60.

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T.

answers from Boise on

J., My oldest son was 4 weeks premature and he is a very health 5 year old. WHen he was born the HOspital placed him on his stomach to sleep. He too would spit up badly it seemed like everything he ate came spitting back up. He always slept on his stomach that was the only way he would sleep good. Other wise he only slept for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. They are all just myths. You know your child and what she likes not all kids are the same. Good Luck!!

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