Q&A Forum

25/4/21

Cathy

My 10 week old premmie (10 days corrected) has started rolling from his stomach to his back, do we need to stop swaddling him for sleep time? Or is it only when he rolls from his back to his stomach? Thank you

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Posted a response on 3/5/21

Red Nose Education

Red Nose recommends that you cease wrapping & move to a cot once baby is attempting to roll.
While this is generally between the ages of 4-6mths, many babies roll before that & some later.
How does he go with tummy time?
Is he lifting his head?
Most babies begin to show sign of being able to roll from about four months of age. Some babies begin rolling onto their tummy earlier than this, and some not until later. This is perfectly normal, as babies develop differently.

It’s essential to stop wrapping as soon as baby starts showing signs that they can begin to roll, usually between 4-6 months. If you wrap baby, consider baby’s stage of development. Leave arms free once the startle reflex disappears around 3 months.
https://rednose.org.au/article/what-do-we-do-now-that-a-baby-has-started-to-roll-over

Many babies then prefer to sleep on their tummy.

This is not something that needs to be stopped. It is important to make his new environment as safe as possible.

Also, ensure that the cot mattress is firm & flat & there is nothing soft or loose in the cot,
Always continue to place baby on back to sleep.
Increasing tummy time when awake.

Red Nose has the following information now that your baby is starting to roll.

If you are using a bassinette, it is time to transfer baby into a cot as soon as they first show signs of being able to roll.
Give baby extra tummy time to play when awake and supervised as this helps baby to develop stronger neck and upper body muscles which in turn enables them to roll back over.
Make sure that baby is on a firm and well-fitting mattress that is flat (not tilted or elevated).
Make sure that baby’s face and head remains uncovered (do not use lambswool, doonas, pillows, cot bumpers or soft toys)

As babies grow and develop they become very active and learn to roll around the cot.
At this time, continue to put them on the back at the start of sleep time, but let them find their own position of comfort.
By this stage it is not necessary to wake during the night to turn baby over to the back position

Do not use any devices designed to keep baby in a particular sleep position.
https://rednose.org.au/article/what-do-we-do-now-that-a-baby-has-started-to-roll-over

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