Baby Sleeping on Stomach & SIDS

Effects

• Babies placed to sleep on their stomachs may have an increased risk of SIDS due to a lack of oxygen. According to KidsHealth.org, a soft surface around a baby's face can create a pocket that traps exhaled air. When the baby continues to inhale the previously exhaled air, oxygen levels drop and carbon dioxide increases in the body.

  Another theory suggests that stomach sleeping compresses a baby's jaw, which narrows the airway. A brain abnormality that prevents a baby from waking and crying when he is not getting enough oxygen may also contribute to SIDS in infants who sleep on their stomachs. Apnea, or pauses in breathing, is more common in babies who sleep on their stomachs, according to the American SIDS Institute, and babies are also prone to overheat in this position.

Significance

• Infants placed to sleep on their stomachs are 12.9 times more likely to die than babies placed to sleep on their backs, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since the national Back to Sleep campaign began in the early 1990s, the SIDS death rate has decreased by 50 percent. It is estimated that 70 percent of babies were placed to sleep on their stomachs in 1992, but that number had decreased to 14 percent by 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Considerations

• In rare instances, and with a doctor's permission, a baby may be safer sleeping on his stomach. Infants with certain upper airway disorders or severe gastroesophageal reflux may benefit from sleeping on their stomachs with their heads elevated. Still, caregivers should avoid soft bedding and be sure to keep the baby from overheating to decrease the risk of SIDS as much as possible.

Misconceptions

• It is important to remember that "tummy time" is good for babies and helps them develop, and it is safe for babies to spend time on their stomachs while they are awake and being supervised. This helps them develop upper body strength that will eventually lead to pushing up and crawling. Parents should also know that they do not have to be overly concerned about a baby who is old enough to roll over onto his stomach at night. While babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs, an infant old enough to roll over on his own is less likely to suffer from SIDS, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Warning

• Babies should be placed on their backs to sleep for the first year of life. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, some evidence has shown that a baby accustomed to sleeping on his back is more likely to suffer from SIDS if he is suddenly placed on his stomach to sleep during the first few months of life. Side sleeping is also associated with an increased risk of SIDS.