Is it safe for infants to lay on their sides?

Question

My MIL keeps telling my to lay baby on her side so she doesn't get flat headed or have patchy hair. Is this safe? I read that it's not but I need some oppinioms because she's driving me crazy.

Answer

It's a tricky question because 'safe' is such a strong word. Many pediatricians and parents from your mother's generation will advocate for side sleeping for a number of reasons. While those reasons are often valid, flat on the back is the statistically safest position for a healthy baby. A baby sleeping on their back may be as much as 10x less likely to die of SIDS than the same baby sleeping on their stomach or side. The key is that the majority of parents putting babies to sleep on their backs has made for a big decrease in SIDS over the last few decades. From 1992 to 2002 the percent of white, American babies sleeping on their stomachs dropped from about 70% to about 10% and the rate of SIDS fell from almost 1/1000 to less than 0.5/1000. For black babies the trend was similar (80% to 20% and about 2.25/1000 to about 1/1000). There are other factors (better prenatal care, less smoking, etc) and correlation is not causation, but this one is so easy to do.

Answer

My son slept on his back only, until he was able to start rolling over on his own and we stopped swaddling him and used a sleep sac instead. He has a beautiful round head and lots of hair. Babies only get flat headed when parents leave them in the crib too long and they are laying down all the time rather than practicing tummy time and being more interactive

Answer

I was told on their back and alternating the direction they're facing to avoid a flat head and tummy time when they're awake.

Answer

Having a flat head and patchy hair is normal for babies. My daughter had great neck control really early, so we got pediatrician approval to side sleep at a month old, because she'd roll that way anyways. But that's why babies get tummy time, and it's recommended to hold babies and carry them, to reduce the time that they're awake and on the back of their heads.

Answer

So when the baby tips over and suffocates atleast she wasn't flat headed.... 😑😑 No that's why you rub the baby's head to smooth it out.. I hate that older women give stupid advice..  if you feel funny about it then go with your gut feeling ..  being a mom is standing up for your baby.. it's hard at first but you'll feel amazing later down the line

Answer

People are going to give you all kinds of advice. Let them know that you appreciate their concern, but you are planning on following your doctors advice (if that's what you're planning). Your doctor will recommend you place the baby on their back to go to sleep, and each night you can put them facing the other way, that way when you come in to see them, they turn their head. This will prevent any misshapen head. And if your kid does have a misshaped head, as long as you go to all your doc appointments, they will catch it early. Baby will wear a helmet for a while to fix it. It's not a big deal. We are gonna be okay, sister, get ready to tell a lot of people, "thanks, but I've got this!" 😄

Is it safe for infants to lay on their sides?

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