Anonymous
Hi there, My 4month old has started rolling onto her stomach often and rolls confidently from side to side but has shown no interest really yet in rolling from her stomach onto her back. She is sleeping in her own cot in our room now, and has wears a baby sleep sack with her arms free for sleep. She also wears an owlet sock monitor each night for sleeping. We always put her down to sleep on her back but she has now started rolling onto her side frequently at night and really resists sleeping on her back. No matter how often we try to reposition her she rolls straight back onto her side or becomes upset at being moved, and sometimes resists and pushes against us when we try to move her onto her back. Do you have any advice on what to do in this circumstance? I read through your website and noticed the advice is to reposition babies back onto their back if they can’t roll from tummy to back yet but this doesn’t seem to be working for us. Do we have enough precautions in place to leave her to sleep on her side? How high are the risks of SUID for side sleeping? We are also doing loads of tummy time and rolling practice to help her learn to roll stomach to back but it’s a work in progress.
Red Nose Education
Most babies will be rolling over by 4- 5 months. Some earlier, some later.
This is very normal as babies grow & become stronger.
Many babies then prefer to sleep on their side or tummy.
This is not something that needs to be stopped. It is important to make the “new” environment as safe as possible.
https://rednose.org.au/article/what-do-we-do-now-that-a-baby-has-started-to-roll-over
You have already adapted your baby’s sleep environment for rolling.
Moved from bassinet to cot.
Arms free - no swaddle or wrap
Continue to place on back for sleep.
Increase tummy time.
How does she go with tummy time? Is she holding her head up well &/or reaching for toys?
Sounds like she is rolling well going from side to tummy to side.
As you have discovered, there is little achieved by moving her to her back when she rolls to side (or tummy)
Generally, once baby discovers they can roll from back to side to tummy, they tend to prefer the side/tummy sleep position.
The message is to “always place baby on back for sleep” NOT baby must always sleep on their back.
Red Nose does not recommend the use of any form of restraint or sleep positioner to keep baby on their back.