"Back" to Sleep

Button is mastering the art of rolling over. Exciting, I know. This morning when I went to get her for her morning meal she was on her tummy. Now she rolled over for the first time on the floor at her aunt's baby shower at the beginning of August and she has been giving a halfhearted effort ever since. But yesterday I was on the phone with BT and he said she was working hard at rolling over and she did while we were talking. Cut to this morning and she is stomach sleeping. I nursed her and put her down on her back. She immediately rolled to her side, a position she has become comfortable in lately. I peeked in at her before I left for work thinking she would be on her stomach, but no she was still on her side. Then I got a text from BT this morning saying he found her on her tummy too.

I was telling a co-worker about it (she has a 6 month old) and I said that in all the pre-baby classes, they emphasize "back to sleep," putting your baby to sleep on their back. It's a big deal. But they never address the fact that the baby will one day learn to roll over and parents will never be able to keep them on their backs. When my co-worker's son start rolling over I told her not to freak out the first time she sees him asleep on his stomach. She did a little but that's normal. I did when I had Bub. I was so worried because it had been drilled into me "BACK to sleep." But once babies are able, of course they want to make themselves comfortable. So this morning I put my hand down on her to let her know I was there before I picked her up and to check to make sure she was still breathing (paranoia is not something that will ever leave me) and I found myself touching her bottom instead of her stomach. She lifted her head, turned it, sighed and settle back down. I patted her and then picked her and feed her.

So now begins a new phase in our lives where she won't stay exactly where we put her. Mobility is going to be achieved soon. It's both a good thing and bad thing. But at least now she can make herself comfortable when she sleeps.