When your baby is learning a new skill, there is a pretty good chance it’s going to disrupt their sleep. Babies love to practice these skills when they should be sleeping.
Rolling over is one of the first big developmental milestones that affects sleep. Most babies start to roll over around 4 months old. But, every baby is different and it may not happen until baby is closer to 6 months old.
If you’ve got a great sleeper, it can wreak havoc on your and your baby’s sleep. Below are a few things you can do to safely work through this big change.
If your baby has never been a great sleeper, that’s an entirely different conversation. I’d be happy to chat with you about a solution to get your entire family sleeping well. In the meantime, you can still use these tips on how to help your baby when they are rolling over in the crib.
Take a Breath & Celebrate
Remember that this too shall pass. And, it’s a pretty big deal and something to celebrate. Your baby is growing and thriving and learning to do something new. Starting to roll is the first step in learning to crawl. Before you know it, your sweet babe will be toddling all over the house. So cool!
Safety Check
I suggest following the safe sleep guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Always place your baby on their back for sleep.
Get baby out of the swaddle before they can unintentionally roll. I recommend moving to a basic sleep sack by the time your baby is 12 weeks old. If your little one is showing signs of rolling before the 12-week mark, it’s time to make the move to a regular sleep sack. No wings or weighted sacks.
Do not put anything in the crib. No blankets or pillows and no wedges or toys in the crib.
No crib bumpers. When your baby starts to roll, it’s tempting to add bumpers. Bumpers are not recommended by the AAP because of the potential risk of strangulation, entrapment, and suffocation. Your babe is learning to move around and get comfortable with this new skill. They will become aware of their sleep space and their new skill with time.
Baby should be placed in their crib on a firm, breathable mattress covered by a tight, fitted sheet.
Set Baby Up for Success
Once your baby can roll from back to belly and belly to back, they can sleep in their crib on their tummy. Remember to always place them in the crib on their back to start.
Encourage Rolling Over
Up the tummy time. Give your baby at least 5 minutes of tummy time during every wake window.
Do rolling over practice using a blanket or toys to encourage rolling.
Use sound to get your baby to turn in the direction of the anticipated roll.
Put baby in the crib to practice this new skill. Make sure it’s in the middle of their wake window and that all of the lights are on. Stay in the room with baby while they explore their sleep space.
How to Handle Rolling During Sleep
What if you notice your baby on their tummy in the middle of the night? If your baby doesn’t roll on their own in both directions, go in (no need to wait) and flip them to their back. Don’t turn on a light or linger in the room. Simply flip them over and quickly leave, giving them the chance to get back to sleep.
Your baby is learning a new skill and needs time to figure it out and get comfortable sleeping in a new way. Once they can flip back-to-belly and belly-to-back, they can sleep on their tummy as long as you are following AAP guidelines.
Rolling over should only disrupt sleep for a week or so. If your baby is still struggling after two weeks, there could be something else going on. Is there a new habit formed since baby started to roll? If so, going back to basics and doing what you did to teach your baby to be a great sleeper can be helpful. Is there an adjustment to the schedule that needs to be made? As babies get older, they need more awake time and less daytime sleep.
In Conclusion
Developmental milestones can disrupt sleep. It’s normal!
Follow safe sleep guidelines
Get baby out of the swaddle before they are 12 weeks old
Flip baby to their back if they do not have the skill to roll in both directions on their own
Lots of tummy time and daytime practice