If a 6 month old baby sleeps on his stomach. Can a baby sleep on his stomach? Doctor's advice to young mothers. Safe sleep for babies

Many young parents are interested in the question: “Can a child sleep on his tummy?” These days, this question has become especially relevant, since few people now swaddle newborns. The baby, dressed in loose and comfortable clothes that do not restrict movement, tosses and turns and often sleeps in the most unimaginable positions. Let's figure out whether it's harmful for a baby to sleep on his tummy.

Sleeping on your stomach: advantages and disadvantages

When a child sleeps in diapers, he is laid slightly on his side, placing a small pillow under the back. In this case, everything is simple and clear. If the baby sleeps in clothes that do not restrict movement, then he needs to choose the most comfortable position, since he himself will begin to settle down when he learns to turn around.

For many people, including infants, the most comfortable sleep is lying on their stomach. But is it advisable to place a baby this way?

Benefits of prone position

Dream infant on the tummy has some advantages:

A newborn baby may regurgitate food. If he is lying on his stomach at the same time, then it will not hit Airways.
This position prevents the risk of intestinal colic and improves the passage of gases.
In this position, the neck muscles strengthen faster, so the child will sooner learn to hold his head up.
The baby's legs are located in the best natural position, which has a beneficial effect on the hip joints.
The baby rests his palms on the bed and does not make voluntary movements that could wake him up.

Negative aspects of resting on the tummy

Official medicine does not recommend placing an infant face down while sleeping. This happens due to sudden infant death syndrome. This tragic phenomenon occurs when breathing stops. Satisfied most of(up to 40%) of child deaths occur during sleep.
The exact reasons why a newborn stops breathing have not yet been identified. No direct link has been found between SIDS and stomach sleeping, but there are some facts that cannot be ignored:

Research shows that sleeping on your stomach increases the risk of SIDS. After they began to recommend not putting a baby to sleep on his stomach, infant mortality decreased by 2-3 times.

Statistics also indicate that children are at particular risk. Babies born ahead of schedule, as well as children with low weight and twins or triplets. Special attention to babies born to a mother who smokes, drinks or takes drugs. Statistics also say that boys are more likely to stop breathing during sleep than girls.

Safety precautions when your baby sleeps on his stomach

However, if your baby prefers to sleep on his stomach, or for nap newborn, this position can be allowed provided that certain safety measures are observed:

A child under one year old should not have a pillow in his crib.
The mattress should be smooth and hard.
Do not put unnecessary things in the crib: toys, diapers.
You should not place an infant on his tummy if he has a runny nose.
Dry and highly overheated air makes breathing difficult.
The air is musty; the room must be ventilated.
Cigarette smoke, never smoke in the room where the child is.

If these rules are followed, the risk of sleep apnea is minimized, so you can place the baby on his tummy. Also, if your baby prefers to sleep on his stomach, check his condition as often as possible. Be sure to turn your head from time to time different sides.

What time is it undesirable to put your baby to sleep on his stomach?

When the baby begins to turn himself into a comfortable position in his sleep, the risk of respiratory arrest is reduced to nothing. The most dangerous time is before three months, most cases of SIDS occur during this time period.

The fact is that at the age of up to three months, the baby, when sleeping, does not react to the cessation of air supply. He will not turn his head or start breathing through his mouth if his nostrils are blocked by something. Even absolutely healthy baby in the first months of life, you can observe arbitrary cessation of breathing for a few seconds in the absence of any visible reasons.

If a child sleeps on his stomach most often and takes this position on his own, then shifting him onto his back or side will not lead to anything. In this case, you can leave him to sleep as he pleases. This state of affairs suggests that for the baby this is the most comfortable pose for sleep. It’s not worth putting your baby on his tummy in the first months until he learns to toss and turn in his sleep; it’s better to be on the safe side.

If your baby sleeps on his stomach, this may pose some risk to him. We are talking only about children in the first year of life, especially under the age of three months.

Many mothers will say that the baby sleeps on his stomach much calmer and stronger, does not wake up and does not cry, and this is true. In general, a newborn cannot roll over onto his tummy on his own; only his mother can put him to sleep this way; usually they sleep on their back, while their legs and arms remain bent. If the child is not swaddled, at sharp sounds he shudders, spreading his arms wide and getting scared, this causes him to wake up and cry. If the baby sleeps on his stomach, then this reflex does not work. In this position, gas releases better and colic is less disturbing, which is why sleep is so sweet. That’s why older babies sleep on their stomachs with pleasure; after 6 months, most mothers simply cannot keep track of the baby, he rolls over onto his tummy on his own and sleeps with his knees tucked under him.

However, if a newborn sleeps on his stomach, this is dangerous. Increased risk of the syndrome sudden death. This syndrome is the most common reason death of children under one year of age, every third person has this diagnosis dead child. During a post-mortem autopsy, doctors do not find any reasons for death, and the day before the baby is usually absolutely healthy, and often these are strong children who have not had any health problems.

Risk factors for sudden death syndrome include:

- winter period of time (when the room is dry and warm air)

Age up to 1 year (usually the first 3 months of life)

Smoking of parents, late or young age of mother.

Male gender of the child

Soft pillow or mattress

- sleeping on your stomach

- symptoms of mild ARVI in a child

Children are dying from simply...forgetting to breathe.. There is no other explanation. Immature respiratory center V early age, the presence of a protective reflex of holding the breath when the nose is blocked leads to the fact that if there is an obstacle to breathing, the child stops breathing and dies. In infants, the nasal passages are narrow and easily clogged with mucus and crusts, if there is an acute respiratory viral infection, or even if there is just dry air in the room, in a position on the tummy the risk that the nose will be completely blocked increases even more, which is why newborns should not sleep on the stomach.

A child can sleep on his stomach if: he is healthy, if the mattress is hard and smooth, if there is no pillow, if the room is cool and humid, if the parents do not smoke, if the mother is nearby. But failure to comply with even one point can result in the death of a child. If your older baby likes to sleep on his stomach, try to provide him with all these conditions to minimize the risk. And when choosing whether to sleep on the stomach or on the back of a newborn, you can choose an intermediate option; why not sleep on the baby’s side? This way there is no risk of sudden death syndrome, and the baby will sleep more peacefully.

Conclusion: Newborns can only sleep on their stomach if you can eliminate all other risk factors for sudden death syndrome, but in 99% of cases this is not possible. And in this case, sleeping on your stomach is not only harmful, but simply dangerous, you may simply lose it. If you have a soft mattress or pillow, if the apartment is dry and warm, if anyone smokes, never put your child to sleep on his stomach.

After the birth of a child, parents have a lot of questions about how to properly. Newborn children seem completely helpless and fragile, so any action of parents towards the child is very careful. How to hold your baby correctly? Is it necessary to force your baby to lie on his stomach? And, of course, how to properly put a recently born miracle to bed? What position is best for a newborn to sleep in? These and many other questions haunt young parents.

Newborn sleep- This is the time when he rests and gains strength. It is very important to make it comfortable and safe. It has long been noted that a newborn baby, as a rule, sleeps on his back. However, a couple of months pass and the baby begins to roll over on his own, first on his side, and then on his stomach. In addition to happiness and joy from this long-awaited event, parents are afraid of whether it is possible to put the child to sleep on his stomach and whether he should be turned over on his back if he fell asleep on his tummy or on his side. What is the safest position for a baby to sleep and why? How can I secure him if he likes to sleep on his side? This will be discussed in this article.

Many parents notice that when lying on their stomach, the child, as a rule, sleeps more soundly than lying on his back, and wakes up less often. However, is such a dream safe? Doesn't it pose a risk to the health and development of the baby?

Experts note that if, then he begins to hold his head earlier. Indeed, everyone knows that the baby should lie on his tummy several times a day to provide training to the most important neck muscles. Moreover, when sleeping on their stomachs, babies pass gas more easily, which is important. This happens thanks to abdominal massage during sleep.

If there are so many benefits of sleeping on the tummy, why not put your baby to sleep on his stomach from birth? Is it really necessary to make sure he sleeps on his back? Many parents fear that while sleeping on their stomach, the child may suffocate, burying his nose in the mattress. Indeed, young children cannot always control their movements, and if daytime While parents can monitor the baby's position, constant monitoring at night is almost impossible. Is it true that Can a baby suffocate when lying on his tummy?

Dr. Komarovsky's answer on that important question simple: fears and worries are in vain. The main thing is to take precautions. They are completely simple and consist of not placing the child on a pillow and not using a soft mattress.

Indeed, a hard mattress and the absence of a raised platform in the form of a pillow reduce the risk of accidentally burying your nose in them to a minimum.

In addition to the above concerns, many parents do not know whether to believe that there is a possibility of twisting their neck when sleeping on their side. Indeed, there is a common myth according to which a child lying on his side without a pillow is very likely to break his neck. Dr. Komarovsky hastens to reassure parents, claiming that both statements have nothing to do with reality.

The only thing that is definitely worth paying attention to, recommends, is that if a child sleeps on his stomach, then his head should not be constantly turned to one side. The baby himself will not necessarily turn his head in different directions in his sleep. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the position in which the child fell asleep and change the side on which the baby fell asleep.

In addition to the position on the back, on the stomach and on the side, there is the so-called “intermediate” position - between the position on the side and on the stomach. Indeed, many children are quite capable of sleeping on their side or in the intermediate position described above. However, in this case, you need to place a folded diaper under the baby’s side so that he is comfortable.

Opposite point of view

Many experts today claim the opposite: under no circumstances should you allow your baby to sleep on his stomach. They are convinced that children up to one year old should only sleep on their backs. Why?

This categorical statement is explained by the fact that children sleeping on their stomachs are more at risk. In addition to sleeping on the stomach, other causes include prematurity, the mother's young age (under 18 years), the mother's smoking habit, as well as overheating and a too soft mattress in the bed.

However, all this is speculation. The only thing that can be said for sure is that babies should not be allowed to contract their nostrils. If they are compressed, the baby stops breathing. It is important to remember that in the first months of life, children do not understand this and most likely will not try to free the nose.

That’s why you can’t have a pillow to bury yourself in. For the same reason, it is not recommended to purchase a soft mattress.

One more important point is timely treatment runny nose in babies. When cold symptoms appear, it is necessary to monitor the child very carefully, preventing the formation of large quantity mucus in the nasal passages. At a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and above, in the room where the child is, a runny nose can lead to the formation of dense crusts in the baby’s nose, which will not allow him to breathe.

Children's sleep rules children's sleep, baby's sleep (video):

Thus, there is nothing wrong with sleeping on the stomach, and the answer to the question whether a newborn can sleep on the stomach is definitely positive. However, it is important to remember that there should be no pillow in the baby’s crib, the mattress should be quite hard and of the correct shape, the room should be fresh, and in no case should you smoke in front of the baby.

Many attentive parents of a newborn baby have noticed that their child sleeps better on his tummy. But all grandparents constantly intimidate the younger generation with the fact that a child in this position can suffocate. Naturally, after this, parents try to turn the baby over as often as possible.

But, according to practice, sleeping a baby on his tummy is even beneficial in some cases.

Why is it possible to sleep on your tummy?

In the fetal position (the head is lowered down, the butt is raised up, the arms are pressed under) it is better to get rid of gases, and blood circulates better, providing better flow to the brain;
A sleeping baby feels safe by pressing his arms to the bed. After all, as you know, babies at this age feel the world using tactile contact. But what can so ensure a calm and deep sleep for a baby, nothing like touching a soft bed. In addition, in this position the arms are inactive, so the baby twitches less in his sleep;
A child at this age sleeps 17 hours a day. It is during sleep that the skeleton is formed. And sleeping on your stomach helps proper development bones and joints;
When a baby goes to sleep on his stomach, he unconsciously massages himself. Due to this, the occurrence of ;
According to statistics, babies who sleep on their stomachs can hold their heads better in the future;
A newborn baby under three months of age needs about 16-20 hours of sleep per day. During this time, he needs food at least 2 times. As many parents already know, a child can often burp. For some reason, there is an opinion that the baby may choke on vomit in this position. But it would be more logical that it is much easier to choke when regurgitating while lying on your back. It is worth noting that if vomit enters the respiratory tract, the baby may develop pneumonia, which is very difficult to treat;
The formation of the hips and pelvic joints occurs faster and better;
The likelihood of skin rubbing is reduced, since in this position the baby’s body is ventilated.

If there is an opinion among people that a child should not sleep on his stomach, it means that there are some disadvantages and there have been cases confirming the harm of sleeping in such a position.

Why you can't sleep on your stomach

In the 90s, American doctors identified a case in which sudden stop baby's breathing. The case was called “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.” People turned this description in their own way, and began to believe that this syndrome was described by a child who slept on his stomach when the baby was turned with his face in the pillow.

At this age, children cannot yet turn their heads on their own, and the nasal passages are still small, narrow and weak. The slightest pressure causes the spout to become clogged, and the child may suffocate. But in fact, there are no facts proving that the syndrome described by doctors is associated with the baby sleeping on his stomach. And so, if you analyze medical literature, then in many cases death occurred in winter time years during sleep in babies sleeping with their backs up.

But don't panic if your baby sleeps on his stomach.

Let's look at the reasons why a child may suffocate while sleeping:

The baby is less than 6 months old;
The baby was male (most often);
A soft bed could block the baby's nasal passage. At this age, babies still do not know how to breathe through their mouth;
Insufficient air humidity;
Winter season;
Excessive wrapping of the baby, which could result in overheating;
Clogging of the nasal cavity with mucus during a cold;
If the baby was born to a mother under the age of 20 or after 40 years;
If there were problems during childbirth, birth injuries were sustained;
Smoking by both parents after the birth of the child or smoking by the mother during pregnancy;
If during pregnancy, the mother abused alcohol, drugs, medications and much more.

As we can see, there are many reasons for the sudden death of a baby, and it is foolish to believe that death can occur if the child sleeps on his stomach.

People also believe that during sleep, under the influence of the gravity of the baby’s body, the rib cage, making it difficult to breathe. But this opinion can be considered prejudice, because if you carefully listen to a baby’s breathing during sleep, it will be moderate and calm.

Doctors' opinion

Pediatricians' answer to the question whether a baby can sleep on his stomach: many pediatricians also share the opinion negative influence sleeping on your tummy. To prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract, doctors recommend placing the child on his back, but with his head turned to the side.

It is worth noting that the child cannot be turned on his side, and you need to make sure that he does not do this on his own, as compression occurs hip joint, and abnormal development of tissues, organs or general body parts may occur.

Safe sleep rules

To ensure safe sleep for a baby sleeping on its stomach, the following conditions must be adhered to:

Under no circumstances should bedding be soft or loose. Children's stores sell special mattresses for infants - they are firm, have all orthopedic properties and therefore will not harm your child in any way. It is the hard mattress that provides the child with Free access oxygen through the spout. But you need to remember that you need to approach the baby while sleeping and periodically change the rotation of the head in different directions to avoid deformation of the skull bones.

Important! The quality of bed linen must be approached with utmost attention. Pastel linen must not only comply with all sanitary and epidemiological standards, but must also be made from natural fabrics.

Should a baby sleep at this age? pillow Absolutely forbidden. Not only can a pillow make breathing difficult, but it can also contribute to the development of spinal problems. For an infant A pair of diapers folded in half will be enough. You can start using pillows only from the age of 3, and even then, the pillow must be selected so that it is less than the width of the child’s shoulder. In general, sleeping without a pillow is healthy for the back bones of all ages;
It is necessary to maintain sterility and cleanliness of bed linen. Children's doctors strongly recommend replacing bed linen more than 2 times a day;
If you allow your baby to sleep on his stomach, remember that he needs close supervision. If your baby has a cold, you should not leave the baby alone, but regularly clear the mucus from the nose with nasal sticks or a small enema, and also clean off any crusts that have formed. The head must be turned over in time;
The crib of a baby under one year old should not contain toys or pillows. This is unsafe;
The room in which the child sleeps must be regularly ventilated. It is necessary to maintain the optimal room temperature (approximately 23 degrees);
The baby should sleep with his parents in the same room so that the baby is under control at any time;
Parents, and especially a nursing mother, should adhere to a healthy, active lifestyle;
Do not wrap the baby too tightly so that he does not overheat;
After feeding, you need to carry it in your arms in a column for some time. In this position, the air trapped in the baby's tummy will come out faster, and the baby will not burp.

According to the rules of Dr. Komarovsky, it is possible to ensure healthy sleep not only for the baby, but also for yourself. So, the air temperature should vary from 16 to 20 degrees, depending on the room. Relative humidity is from 50 to 70%. Special humidifiers are sold to maintain humidity. If it is not possible to purchase such a device, then you need to hang it around the room. damp cloth or towels. To check air humidity, you need to buy a device that measures it - a hygrometer.

Some parents like to arrange, fashionable in modern world, co-sleeping. Place the baby with his tummy on his stomach. In this position, the baby will not suffer from colic, and sleep will be more beneficial.

Moms and dads mistakenly put their babies to bed with them. Such a dream will not bring good sleep neither for them, nor for the baby. Since people have poor self-control in their sleep, you can catch a child with an awkward movement.

Thus, we will answer the question: is it possible for a newborn to sleep on his stomach? Answer: It is possible for a baby to sleep on his stomach and it is even beneficial. There is no colic, gas comes out, and he will not choke when regurgitating. But constant monitoring of the position of the head and freedom of breathing of the nose is necessary. It is important to choose a high-quality bed that will provide your baby with a safe, sweet sleep.

Young parents very often worry about various little things related to their baby. Conversations on walking areas, in clinics and with neighbors add to anxiety. Many, unfortunately, consider it necessary to scare the baby’s relatives with horror stories about improper sleep or the dangers of sleeping on the stomach. It is better to understand the sleep issues of your newborn baby calmly and consciously, without giving in to panic and fears.

Sleeping on your stomach - disadvantages

In the 90s of the twentieth century, the media increasingly began to use such a terrible term as “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” (SIDS). It was studied especially carefully by doctors and scientists in America. The main reason for involuntary cessation of breathing, which was voiced, is the sleep of a newborn with his nose buried in a pillow. In this case, the baby's breathing is difficult. Since breathing skills are poorly developed at an early age, being face down, the child does not understand what to do and physically cannot turn his head to the side. Crust or mucus in the nostrils also makes it difficult to inhale and exhale. The fact that this syndrome is directly related to sleeping on the stomach has not been proven, but modern doctors recommend paying close attention to your sleeping position.

An additional argument against sleeping on the stomach is that the child may burp and choke on this mass during a nap. At the same time, it is important to realize that the baby, lying face down, will physically suffocate vomit can not. Regarding this point, it is much more dangerous to sleep on your back (in this position, vomit is more likely to enter the respiratory tract and cause difficulty breathing).

Another significant disadvantage of sleeping on your stomach is compression of the sternum. Because of this, the baby may have difficulty breathing. But if your breathing is even and calm, there is no reason to worry or worry. If in any doubt, it is better to consult a pediatrician and get recommendations regarding your specific child.

Sleeping on your stomach - positive aspects

There are a number of advantages to sleeping on your stomach:

In this position, gases pass away more easily. Self-massage is carried out, thanks to which intestinal colic worry the baby less.
The baby's palms and arms rest against the mattress, which leads to a more stable body position, which means the baby flinches less and does not frighten himself.
Reduces pressure on hip bones and joints, as well as on the skull, which is very easily deformed in infancy.
Blood circulation in the head improves.
Minimal risk of choking during regurgitation.

If the baby is comfortable sleeping on his tummy, he is calm, his breathing is even, then there is no reason to worry. The baby is sleeping peacefully, which means everything is fine with him. Cast aside prejudices and doubts - grow up strong and healthy!

In the first weeks after birth, adults independently choose the position in which to place the baby before bed. In the first days, the baby is usually placed on his side. However, in this position, compression of the hip joint occurs, which can lead to dysplasia. Sleeping on your back can cause deformation of the skull bones and lead to swallowing mass after regurgitation. Sleeping on your stomach, in turn, can cause respiratory arrest. This happens very rarely, you just need to be vigilant and follow the general advice:

Organize your crib correctly for sleeping.
An elastic mattress and the absence of a pillow will allow the baby to breathe freely through the nose.
Watch your baby as he sleeps and turn his head from one side to the other.

If you still feel uneasy, put your baby to sleep on his side, and place a folded diaper or towel under his stomach and back. In this case, the baby’s position will be stable and breathing will be free. Periodically place your baby on his stomach while he is awake. This helps strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, neck, back, and abs. Laying on the stomach helps train the head to rise, which means the baby will quickly begin to try to roll over.

After eating, hold the baby vertically in your arms - excess air trapped in the esophagus will come out, and the baby will not burp during sleep.

Inspect and clean your nostrils daily of plaque and crusts. Maintain a comfortable microclimate in the room (temperature about 22 degrees, the air is moist and fresh).

While sleeping on his back or stomach, the child involuntarily turns his head towards the room or people. From time to time, place him in the crib with his legs in the opposite direction. This way you can avoid curvature of the skull.

Very quickly the baby will get stronger and choose his favorite position. Then, no matter how his parents lay him down, he will roll over into the most comfortable position for himself. An older baby should be given the right to choose and not interfere with the natural position of the body during sleep.

Conclusion

Before the age of one month, the baby should preferentially lie on its side. Then you can gradually lay him on his stomach. Gradually, the baby will independently find a more comfortable body position. Relatives only need to ensure that the sleeping environment is safe.