Before 1 year of age, baby should be placed on his or her back. But if he falls asleep on his stomach or rolls over, what should you do? Dr. Charlotte Bailly, pediatrician, answers us.
The recommendations of health authorities, both French and international, are clear: before 1 year of age, a baby must always be lying on their back, in order to limit the risk of unexpected infant death syndrome (formerly called sudden infant death syndrome). But they also say that you should never wake a sleeping baby. So young parents may feel lost when their little one falls asleep on their stomach: should they turn them over, at the risk of waking them up?
We asked pediatrician Charlotte Bailly, founder of the pediatric telemedicine platform MedForMom, about this, and she explained to us that it depends on the situation. If the baby fell asleep while on his stomach because an adult placed him that way (for example for a tummy time session), then “It is recommended to put him back on his back as soon as you notice him, even if this risks waking him up.” “Stomach sleeping remains a significant risk factor for unexpected infant death, particularly before the age of 6 months”she underlines, before specifying: “Tummy time remains an excellent habit when practiced only during waking periods, under adult supervision. It promotes motor development, limits skull deformations and strengthens the neck and trunk muscles, but should never become a sleeping position.”
But if you notice that your child lies on his stomach alone while sleeping, it’s not the same: “When a baby is able to turn over alone from his back to his stomach and from his stomach to his back, it is not recommended to systematically reposition him during his sleep. At this stage of his motor development, he can maintain the position he adopts himself. However, it is essential to always continue to lay him on his back when falling asleep”. Dr. Charlotte Bailly tells us that “many infants spontaneously choose this position when they acquire this motor skill”so you don’t have to worry if he turns over every night. Therefore, “parents don’t need to spend the night putting him back on his back”. She adds that you should definitely not use a baby wedge to prevent him from turning over. These devices “are not recommended for sleeping. On the contrary, they may increase the risk of suffocation or entrapment if the baby becomes trapped against the device. The best prevention is to follow the sleeping recommendations.”
The difference in recommendations between these two situations, if the baby falls asleep while placed on his stomach or if he positions himself in this way alone, may be surprising. On this subject, our expert explains: “It is important to remember that the risk of unexpected infant death is greatest between 2 and 4 months, then gradually decreases. This is why the recommendations for sleeping on the back are particularly important during the first months of life, even if they must be maintained until the age of one year”.
And these recommendations are “always lay the baby on his back, from birth until the age of one year, and in his own bed”use a firm mattress suitable for the bed, with only a fitted sheet (no duvet, pillow, comforter, bed bumper, baby cushion, soft toy, etc.), a sleeping bag suitable for the season, place the bed in the parents’ bedroom for at least 6 months, and if possible up to 12 months, maintain the temperature of the room between 18 and 20°C and “avoid all exposure to tobacco and toxic products during pregnancy and after birth”.
