Although in the past it was recommended to sleep the baby on his stomach, today the main recommendation is the opposite: it is a danger for the little one, especially if he is very young. Find out why.
Many mothers are concerned about how to make their newborn sleep when they get home, since a few years ago the position indicated for their baby to sleep was face down to prevent him from choking in case of vomiting.
It was recommended to put them face down because when they were turned face up they had a higher risk of suffocation from inhaling the vomit and they did not have enough strength to move their head to drop it to the side.
However, today the recommendation is precisely the other way around: both in the hospital and in subsequent medical check-ups, both the midwife, the nurses and the pediatrician himself remember the importance of the baby sleeping on his back and with his head on one side.
What, after the advice given not many years ago, makes parents ask themselves the following question: Is it advisable to put the baby on his stomach? It has been concluded that sudden deaths have decreased when the baby’s sleeping position is on his back, since the baby is more likely to suffocate while on his stomach.
The main reasons why it is better for the baby to sleep on his back (and with his head on one side)
It is not known very well why making the baby sleep on their back offers more security and causes fewer deaths in newborns, but it is true that there are some problems when putting them on their stomach:
- Putting the baby on his stomach can cause suffocation by having his face so close to the mattress or sheets, so that the air he breathes in is not renewed and he stops breathing oxygen.
- The mattresses that are too soft are also a problem for sleeping the baby on his stomach, the mattresses must be firm and free of pillows or any other object that can hinder his breathing.
- The germs found on the mattress can also be a problem when it comes to breathing since being so close to the baby’s face can make it difficult for him to breathe.
- Even on the side it is much safer for the baby than on the stomach, constantly change the baby’s position so that he does not always sleep on the same side.
Healthy infants should always sleep on their back, so parents will especially check that the baby breathes and sleeps perfectly, when the baby has more autonomy and begins to turn on himself, we can leave him on his stomach from time to time.
Even many pediatricians advise letting the baby sleep on his back and with his face slightly tilted to one side, so that if he takes a mouthful of milk, he can do it normally and without any problem.
Sudden infant death
Of unknown cause, sudden death occurs in babies of a few months, without any previous symptoms. The baby appears dead in his crib with no sign of suffering.
In recent years, this type of death has decreased due, according to some hypotheses, to the fact that parents are now advised to lay their babies on their back or on their side and not on their stomach as was recommended a few years ago.
Apparently, in this last position – which was recommended to prevent milk regurgitations from drowning the baby – there is a greater danger of hyperthermia and suffocation, since the nose and mouth are pressed against the mattress and can make it difficult to breathe normally.
A recent study has shown that the rates of sudden death in that country had fallen by half after the health authorities recommended placing babies in the crib on their back.
Other studies have identified some common factors in sudden death, such as low birth weight, smoking parents, tight diapers, and poorly ventilated or very hot rooms.
Two studies, have concluded that letting the child sleep in the parents’ room for up to six months reduces the risk of sudden death.
It is also advisable to avoid down duvets, soft mattresses, poorly fixed protective cushions and to ensure that the temperature of the baby’s room does not exceed 20 degrees.
These simple precautions have dramatically decreased the rate of sudden death in recent years.
What if the baby is able to roll over and sleep on his stomach?
Obviously, the time will come when the baby will be fully able to move in the crib, and to roll over and start sleeping on his stomach, something that usually happens between five or six months of age. At such times, the most common is that parents are alarmed and do not know very well what to do.
However, you must be calm. At that age the risk is much lower, precisely because the baby is able to lift his head and change position, so that there is not the same danger that the child may suffer from sudden death syndrome.
