Is it not interesting to watch how a small child grows, develops and acquires new skills? For most parents, one of the first important developmental milestones that delights is the observation of how children learn to roll over. The first time you see a child bend his back, raise his head, lean to the side, and then suddenly - a coup! So cute and exciting, but! Unless it so happens that the child is sleeping and rolls over on his stomach. Then it is frustrating and tiring. Why? Because a baby who is just starting to roll over is a baby who is not sleeping.
A child in a dream turns on his stomach: safety first!
Can a baby sleep on his stomach? The short answer is no. A baby sleeping on his stomach breathes less air. This increases the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In 2015, about 1,600 children died for this reason!
Now, as for how to help your child go through this stage and maximize everyone’s sleep: first of all, remember that there is no “cure” for this. Rolling a child is a completely natural part of his growth and development, so you can not fix or stop this process.
Nevertheless, some parents believe that turning the child over every time the baby turns over on his stomach in a dream is a great way to help the baby go through this stage. This is especially true for children who can only roll in one direction, but cannot yet learn the other way, and who do not really like to “freeze” in a certain position. Since this step is usually short-lived (usually 2-3 weeks), this is a simple, short-term solution.
First of all, it is important to make sure that the newfound mobility of the child does not create a dangerous situation when the baby turns on his stomach in a dream.
It is known that children should always be laid to sleep on the back, but if they lie on their tummy, then depending on age and capabilities, you can either return it back face up or leave it in this position.
The safest place to sleep the baby is his crib in the same room as his parents or adults. But what if a child rolls over on his stomach in a dream? Does it still need to be returned back?
Why is sleeping on the back so important?
Sudden unexpected death (SIDS) in infant mortality has declined by 80% since the introduction of safe sleep campaigns in the 1990s. According to experts, in Australia alone, 9,500 babies were saved.
Currently, in many countries there is convincing evidence that the situation when a newborn turns over on his stomach in a dream significantly increases the risk of his sudden death. Studies have also revealed instabilities in lateral sleep, and many babies show up on their stomachs after they are laid on their side to sleep. Premature babies are at higher risk for sudden death.
The good news is that the risk of SIDS is significantly reduced until your child's first birthday. It reaches a peak at the age of 1 to 4 months, and then begins to decline. In fact, 90 percent of SIDS cases are related to children under 6 months of age.
Why does the child roll over on his stomach in a dream? The position in which we sleep determines how easy and how often we wake up during sleep. Awakening is a physiological defense mechanism that is believed to be inadequate in children who succumb to sudden and unexpected death.
What causes SIDS? What we know, we don’t know, and we suspect
When we fall asleep, blood pressure, heart rate and respiration slow down, and breathing pauses (apnea) are possible. Brief awakenings from sleep increase all these indicators.
Studies in infants have shown that placing a child on his stomach not only makes it more difficult to wake him up, but also reduces blood pressure and the amount of oxygen available to the brain. Parents sometimes put their baby on their stomach, as the baby "sleeps better this way." This is because children do not wake up so often in this position.
However, remember that sleeping on your back improves airflow.
Does sleeping on your back interfere with regurgitation?
Some parents are worried that when a child rolls over on his stomach in a dream, he is in danger of suffocating from vomiting (child burping at this age is inevitable). But a careful study of the respiratory tract of the child showed that children who fall asleep on their backs are less likely to suffocate from vomiting than those sleeping on their stomach, however paradoxical this may sound.
In the supine position, the upper respiratory tract is located above the digestive tract. Thus, the milk regurgitated by the infant, rising up the esophagus, is again easily swallowed and does not enter the respiratory tract. When the baby is placed on the stomach, the esophagus is located above its upper respiratory tract. If the baby spits up or vomits milk, milk or liquid is relatively easily inhaled into the airways and lungs.
At what age can children sleep on their stomachs?
Infants begin to learn to roll over from their backs to their stomachs at the age of four months. But it may take longer until the child is about five or six months old, because this requires stronger muscles in the neck and arms.
Therefore, pediatricians recommend sleeping on a baby’s stomach with no earlier than when he reaches the age of one. As a rule, at this stage, children can already sit without support and freely roll over. During this period, the child is already strong enough to roll back to a safe place, if he needs it.
Do not overdo it, be calm and confident.
Children should always be laid on their backs. But as soon as the child is able to confidently roll his back down or up, he can be left in the position in which he prefers to sleep (usually this is about five to six months old). If the children cannot yet roll over on their own, they should be placed on their backs if the parents find that they are sleeping on their stomach.
Preventive measures
- Encourage games in the position on the tummy, when the baby is not sleeping, let him train and lie down on his own back while you can control him.
- Do not finish breastfeeding for at least 6 months.
- If you are still swaddling your baby, stop it as soon as it begins to roll over. In addition, all of these rolling will undoubtedly weaken the diaper, which can be a great risk of suffocation. Instead of swaddling, try a sleeping bag.
- Do not overheat the room, do not dress your child warmer than necessary, and do not allow anyone to smoke next to him.
Baby's sleeping place
Recommendations for organizing a place to sleep a child:
- Keep the crib away from toys and blankets (if you do not swaddle) and use thick linens. Loose blankets may increase the risk of SIDS.
- Use a durable crib mattress and make sure it meets safety standards.
- Various devices, such as wedges and positioners, which are used to prevent children from turning over, should never be used, as they can cause a baby’s suffocation. Unless your pediatrician recommends them (in which case he will advise placing them under the mattress). There should be nothing in the crib except the child himself and reliable bedding to warm him.