From the time of birth, many changes take place in a kid. They gradually pick up new skills through gross motor functions. Of them, rolling over is perhaps the most noticeable in the beginning. It gives them control over their body movement and aids in muscle strength, coordination, and balance. To be precise, the ability to roll marks a massive milestone in his sensory development. He slowly becomes conscious of his body and how to move it to attain a specific goal. The newfound skill brings him closer to his environment, which remains full of smells, tastes, sounds, textures, views, and temperatures.
While every sign of development can be a matter of immense pleasure, you can suddenly start worrying about his safety. You may feel anxious when you imagine him flipping over at night and wonder about the risk factors. Here are some details to address a few of your concerns.
The safe way to sleep
As a new parent, you can be concerned about the sleep habits of your little one. The newborns tend to move around a lot, and turning over is just one of them. Some ask when this activity begins. Or, more precisely, when do babies roll over? From age four months to six months, you can notice this skill development in them. When they turn over, you can put them back into safer sleep positions, for example, face-up. Back sleeping reduces the danger of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Although the cause of SIDS is still unknown, you can stick to the back-to-sleep method if your baby tends to roll over at night in sleep.
Do you still worry about him? It is not dangerous for older babies to flip over because their shoulders, arms, and neck become strong by this time. They can now lift their heads and move them. Since rolling over and other developing skills are the signs of his self-sufficiency, you only need to create a suitable environment and support them through the various phases. It is critical to note that you can leave the child as it is when he rolls over in sleep. If you are not comfortable, you can change his position, but it can interrupt his sleep. So, be careful. However, if he wakes up at night for a night feed or diaper change, you can put him on his back.
Some people talk about side sleeping as an alternative. But it would help if you were careful with this. When rolling over at nighttime, the kid can shift from the side position to his face and land himself into breathing trouble. They may not have enough power to turn their face to one side for fresh air. Hence, it can be intelligent to avoid this or any other technique that you are not fully confident about using. If you find all this bewildering, you can meet the pediatrician for a suggestion. They will help you through this. At the same time, you can do some more research from your end online for an idea.
The minimalist look
Since sleeping on the back can be one of the best ways, you can ensure your kid goes to sleep in that position. But once they start turning over, you need to look into other aspects as well. For example, some parents like to keep their baby's crib fully decorated with animals and pillows. While it can be good to keep such things for a while, you must remove them from his sleeping environment as soon as he learns to roll over. It is critical for the safety of his life. Use tightly fitted sheets in the crib. Eliminate stuffed toys, sheepskins, pillows, and blankets as he can get entangled in them while turning over.
As for the choice of crib design, these used to have wider slats, in which babies could get easily trapped. For safety against them, bumpers became a practical choice. Today, bumpers are not necessary. You can discard them if you have any. After all, it can also be dangerous for the little one.
Things to consider
As your kid goes on unlocking one growth milestone after another, you can adore all the changes taking place in him and feel joyful. The only thing that can worry you is their safety. Also, if they stop doing something after a while, you can again get stressed. All these are natural feelings and emotions. You only want the best for your little one, and that's why you are trying to protect him also. But there is a difference between providing a safe environment and being too protective. Let the child cover its journey. Every kid goes through these developmental phases. Instead of losing your sleepover everything, you can try to figure out ways to make his learning smoother and happier.
In this context, you may benefit from knowing that some kids skip rolling over and instead attempt sitting. Hence, it is better to focus on the signs and, accordingly, plan things around him.