Sleeping time - rolling onto his side to sleep?!

[Mango401]

My son is now 4 months old he has just started being able to roll onto his tummy and side with no help! Every night I put him in his bed, he automatically rolls onto his side and goes to sleep, and no matter how many times I try to put him on his back, he is back on his side in seconds! Is this okay and safe? I remember health visitor saying to me when he was much younger not to put him to sleep on his side which has made me nervous now!x

[Cheekymonkey85]

My little one has been sleeping on her side since she was 2 weeks old (almost 11 weeks old now), that's how she wanted to be as she naturally rolled (sort of rolled anyway) that way. I've never had any problems with her rolling onto her front or anything, & she refuses to sleep on her back full stop xx

[Armywag]

Health visitors are strange creatures sometimes! My lo was in SCBU for 16 days and they often placed her on her side to sleep. Maybe she said not to let him sleep on his side incase he rolled onto his front? If you are concerned, then you could place a rolled up towel or blanket underneath the sheet to ensure he doesn't roll on to his front. If you do this, make sure it only goes up to his chest and not past his neck.

My lo is static when she is asleep so I don't have that problem. I put her down and she is counting the Zzzzzzz's in minutes flat on her back.

[Hidden]

My baby refused to sleep on his back ever since he was 4 weeks old. Even before that, he always turned his head to the side in a 90 degrees angle which looked really uncomfy. When he was 4 weeks, I had to lay him down on his side, and a few weeks later he started to roll on his front from there. I then spent two weeks or so with worrying during the night and turning him on his back again until I talked to my health visitor who told me not to worry. She said some babies don't like being on their backs, and there is nothing that can change it. The official recommendation to minimise the risk of cot death is to let them sleep on their backs, and health visitors are obliged to stick to that recommendation, but my hv luckily has a more down to earth attitude towards this. My son is 11 months now, still rolling around in his sleep and absolutely fine - plus, the back of his head has a perfectly round shape

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Ah, and she also said that the "never let them sleep otherwise than on their backs"-rule was only valid as long as they weren't able to roll over themselves. As your little one does that, I think you don't need to worry.

[Clairew7]

My hv (who is very text book) also told us that once able to roll themselves it doesn't really matter how they sleep. My son is 11 months now and mostly sleeps on his side or tummy and has done ever since he started rolling. Cx

[Mango401]

Ah thanks ladies for putting my mind at rest! He's well able rolling back and forth now, so as long as he is happy! He's my first child so I panic at the little things!!x

[deemuir]

If you talk to older generations of parents they will tell you that you used to be told to puy your baby to sleep on their side with a rolled up towel behind to stop them rolling onto their back. Then it was always put them on their front. The advice changes so often anyway and it is advice too.

if your little one can roll on their own let them sleep how they want to as they will anyway. X

[MadCatLady465]

I was always told that once they can roll themselves then its fine for them to sleep how they want x

[Hidden]

My son has slept on his front for a while its fine when they can do it themselves its fine. My mil was told when she had my boyfriend he shud b on his front all the time... they also sleep better I find on front x

[cheekymonkey3791]

Pretty much same here, my LO started rolling at 4 months and whilst I was not worried about him sleeping like it, it freaked him out so would have to try and resettle him on his back. Now I lay him on back, if he's semi awake he will roll straight on side and with 10 mins or so you will find him on his front. He would sleep a while then wake to practice strengthening arms and rocking on knees ready for crawling! X