Belly Sleeper

Well, just when we thought we had the whole sleeping routine down, someone decided to mix it up and start flipping over if we didn't come running as soon as he started crying if he had trouble settling down.  This led to hours of Eli getting restless in his sleep, rolling over (despite the sleep positioner that he would just roll over), waking himself up, crying, then one of us running in to flip him back over (since he hasn't learned how to do that yet).  We spent a few nights doing this routine then thought that maybe that is just how he wants to sleep. 

Payton and I were both worried at first when he would just lay face down because he didn't quite understand how to turn his head left or right.  Our sleep was ruined by hours of checking the monitor every few minutes to see if he was still breathing or anytime that we heard even the slightest noise.  I have to admit we were pretty miserable with worry and lack of sleep.  Over the past few days, he has learned how to turn his head and is now sleeping on his stomache all night.  We don't fight him to keep him on his back anymore and he seems pretty comfortable with that.

Payton sent me this picture the other night when

I was went to dinner with some friends.  Little Bug

fast sleep with his butt up in the air!

I spoke to his pediatrician's office the other day and she said that we shouldn't worry ourselves or fight him to keep him on his back.  If he can roll over (and now move his head side to side when on his stomach) he is developmentally mature enough to keep sleeping on his belly and be fine.  She did however recommend that we remove the bumpers (which we did a few weeks ago already, sniff sniff).  For the past 4 nights, he has gone to sleep before 8:00pm and slept on his stomach all night, only waking up once looking for his pacifier (he settles back to sleep as soon as you put it in his mouth).  Melissa also said that he won't sleep in the swing at her house any more and prefers to nap in the crib on his belly, which is a huge move for him.