Many mothers are confused about the best position for their baby to sleep, especially since some of them noticed that their baby likes to sleep on his stomach. Baby sleeping on his stomach Is it normal and safe? Or is it a dangerous situation? Learn about the benefits and harms in the following lines.

What is the optimal baby sleeping position?

Before we learn about the benefits and harms of a baby sleeping on his stomach, we must get to know the ideal sleeping position recommended by experts, which should be on the back, whether at nighttime sleep or nap time for your child, taking into account the following directions:

• Prepare a firm, stable and flat surface.
• Remove any items that could cause choking, such as toys, pillows, and blankets.
• The bed shall not be shared.

Some of you may ask why the baby prefers to sleep on the back? Experts recommend this position because of the fear of sudden infant death syndrome, which may be caused by suffocation during sleep due to the lack of good preparation of the environment and the place in which the child sleeps.

Experts also instruct to continue to put the child in this position (the back) for at least a year, and some even believe that the child should continue to sleep on his back as long as he is still young and has his own small bed for children, and during the first six months your child’s bed should be in your room .

When is a baby sleeping on his stomach safe?

We also mentioned that the ideal position for sleeping is by placing it on the back, but this does not mean that the child cannot sleep on his stomach at all, but some things must be clarified here.

First, in the event that your child turns over naturally during his sleep between the back and the stomach, there is nothing wrong as long as you find him back to sleep on his back in the end, and you can also leave the child to sleep on his stomach for a while in case you are awake and watching him to prevent any unpleasant surprises.

*In general, we warn that the child should not sleep on the stomach for a long time or without supervision, and what is known as swaddling the child can be applied if you are not awake next to him to ensure that he does not sleep on his stomach and move.

The benefits of sleeping a child on his stomach while he is awake

As for your child sleeping on his stomach while he is awake, this is another matter and it is safe for him, and here you can allocate more time for him while he is lying on his stomach .. But why? Because there are some benefits that your child can get, including resisting neck relaxation in children and strengthening it, neck muscles, in addition to strengthening shoulder and head.

Here are also the most important reasons for a child sleeping on his stomach while he is awake, which are beneficial for him, and which will encourage you to be regular in them:

• Help the child move his head.
• Moving his gaze up and to the right and left so that he can see things and people around him, which helps to strengthen the eye muscles.
• Strengthening the shoulder and torso muscles helps the child to sit later.

Sleeping the infant on his stomach to expel the gases

One of the advantages of a child sleeping on his stomach is that it may help expel the accumulated gases in his stomach, and you can try a slightly different position as well by placing your child on his stomach as if he is riding a bicycle and gently massaging his body.

The right age for a baby to sleep on his stomach

You can start helping your baby lie on his tummy while he is awake from the first day of birth after returning home from the hospital, by placing him on your chest or stomach first, and then laying him on the floor after that, but with a blanket to lie on.

It must be taken into account that the beginning is to put the child on his stomach for a few minutes, about 3 to 5 minutes, and repeat that 2 or 3 times a day, and with the age of your child and his growth, you can gradually increase until the time extends from 40 to 60 minutes a day.

My baby does not like to sleep on his stomach

Some children may not prefer this position, and refuse to stay on their stomach at first. You should not give up quickly, but continue your attempts later gently and gradually for a few minutes. You can also motivate your child to do so by placing toys in the vicinity of his vision to help him try to catch and crawl, or Even put a mirror to see his reflection in it.

You can also place a small pillow under your child’s chest to help him lift his body easier and see those around him. Also, make sure that you face him when placing him on his stomach and sing to him so that he does not get afraid, as this is a new situation for him, and it may cause him fear, which is normal.

Your baby may be suffering from reflux, and this may be the reason why he feels uncomfortable staying on his stomach, so consult a doctor in this case.

What are the risks of a child sleeping on his stomach?

As we have explained, unfortunately, babies sleeping on their stomachs during the night or naps may cause some problems for them, as researchers believe that there is a relationship between sleeping on their stomachs and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome! Although the cause is not clearly known, it is believed that the child is breathing again the carbon dioxide that comes out with exhalation, which causes a decrease in the level of oxygen.

Even breathing exhaled again may cause a rise in body temperature, which may be a factor in the development of the syndrome as well.

In the end after you know all the important information about the benefits and risks Baby sleeping on his stomachWe always advise you to follow your child and monitor any incomprehensible symptoms, and the need to consult a doctor and follow up with him, and ask him about any new habit that you would like to add to your child’s routine.