How to Prevent a Newborn From Rolling to the Side While Sleeping: What to Do Safely

For healthy babies, the safest sleep position is on the back. Do not use wedges, positioners, or products to keep a newborn on their side. If your baby rolls, place them on their back at the start of every sleep and ask your pediatrician if you have concerns.

As new parents, ensuring your newborn sleeps safely and soundly is a top priority. One common concern is how to prevent your precious bundle of joy from rolling onto their side while sleeping.

In this guide, we'll explore practical strategies and expert advice to help you create a secure sleep environment for your newborn, ensuring peaceful nights for both baby and parents.

Newborn Rolling on Side: What Is It and Is It Normal?

Some newborns and young infants may lean or roll onto their side during sleep because of reflexes and early movement. While this can happen, side sleeping is not a recommended sleep position.

The safest sleep position for healthy babies is on their backs for every nap and bedtime.

When Do Babies Start Rolling to Their Side?

The occurrence of newborn side sleeping is closely linked to developmental milestones. Some babies may start leaning or rolling to the side in the first months of life, and fuller rolling often becomes more common around 2 to 4 months as their muscles get stronger. 

This rolling corresponds to a crucial period when neck and upper body muscles strengthen, giving babies greater control over their movements.

As babies gain more muscle strength and motor control, they naturally explore different sleeping positions, including rolling to their side.

Why Do Newborns Roll Onto Their Sides?

Natural Reflexes and Movements

Newborns enter the world equipped with a remarkable array of reflexes that help them adapt to their environment. The act of rolling onto their side while sleeping is often influenced by these innate reflexes.

One such reflex is the asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR), which prompts a baby to turn their head to one side, extending the arm and leg on that side. This movement can inadvertently cause them to roll over.

Additionally, the Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex, can trigger sudden movements, leading to side sleeping. These reflexes, combined with the natural inclination to explore their surroundings, contribute to this behavior.

Muscle Development and Curiosity

As newborns grow, their muscles gradually gain strength and coordination. The muscles in their neck and upper body undergo significant development during the first few months of life.

This newfound strength allows them to experiment with various movements, including rolling to their side. Babies are inherently curious, and their desire to interact with the world around them extends to their sleep environment.

The exploration of different positions, such as side sleeping, reflects developing motor skills and the natural drive to understand their bodies and surroundings.

Is It Safe for Newborns to Sleep on Their Sides?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides essential guidance to help keep infants safe during sleep. According to the AAP, the safest sleep position for newborns is on their back.

This recommendation is rooted in extensive research and aims to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). While side sleeping can happen, placing newborns on their backs for sleep is the most effective way to promote their well-being and minimize sleep-related risks.

Side sleeping does pose certain risks for newborns. When a baby is placed on their side, there is a chance they may roll onto their stomach, which can increase the risk of suffocation.

Babies may have difficulty lifting their heads or turning their faces away from the sleep surface, which can make it harder to breathe if their faces are pressed against the mattress or other bedding. This can reduce oxygen intake and increase carbon dioxide intake, raising the risk of SIDS.

While some parents may worry about spit-up during sleep, the risk of choking on spit-up is relatively low, and placing a baby on their back allows for better airway protection.

What to Do If Your Newborn Rolls to the Side While Sleeping

• Always place your baby on their back at the start of every nap and bedtime.
• Do not use wedges, sleep positioners, anti-roll pillows, or other products to keep your baby on their side.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface such as a crib, bassinet, or play yard with only a fitted sheet.
• Keep loose blankets, pillows, bumpers, and toys out of the sleep space.
• If your baby rolls to the side before they can roll both ways on their own, gently place them back on their back.
• Once your baby can roll from back to stomach and stomach to back independently, continue placing them on their back at the start of sleep, but you do not need to keep repositioning them all night.
• If your baby seems to roll very early, strongly favors one side, or you have concerns about reflux or breathing, contact your pediatrician.

Misconceptions and Common Myths About Newborn Sleep Positions

There are many myths about newborn sleep positions, so it helps to separate common beliefs from current medical guidance.

Myth 1: Side Sleeping Is Safer Than Back Sleeping

Many parents believe that placing their newborn on their side for sleep is safer, assuming it reduces the risk of choking on spit-up.

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) firmly recommends placing infants on their backs to sleep. Back sleeping significantly reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and provides the best protection for the baby's airway.

Myth 2: Belly Sleeping Helps With Digestion

Some caregivers may think that allowing a newborn to sleep on their belly aids digestion or reduces colic. This notion is unfounded and can actually pose risks. Babies who sleep on their bellies are at a higher risk of suffocation and SIDS, as they may have difficulty turning their heads or lifting their faces from the sleep surface.

Myth 3: Babies Can Roll Over Safely From Birth

While it's true that babies have natural reflexes and movements, they are not developmentally ready to roll over with ease immediately after birth.

Newborns lack the necessary muscle strength and control to turn their bodies, especially during sleep consistently. Placing a newborn on their back is the safest sleep position until they can roll over independently, usually around 4 to 6 months of age.

Myth 4: Wedges and Positioners Ensure Safety

Wedges or positioners are sometimes used to prop up a newborn in a specific sleep position. However, these devices are not recommended by medical experts. They can pose a suffocation hazard or cause the baby to become trapped, increasing the risk of injury or SIDS.

Myth 5: Sleep Positioners Improve Sleep Quality

Some products claim to improve a baby's sleep quality by keeping them in a particular sleep position. These claims are not substantiated by scientific evidence.

In fact, adhering to the AAP's safe sleep guidelines and creating a safe sleep environment is the most effective way to help your baby sleep safely and soundly.

Conclusion

Newborns may sometimes roll or lean to one side, but the safest sleep position is still on the back. The best way to reduce risk is to place your baby on their back for every sleep and keep the sleep space firm, flat, and free of loose items.

If you are unsure whether your baby's sleep position is normal, your pediatrician can help.

FAQ

1. Is it normal for a newborn to roll onto their side while sleeping?

It can happen, especially due to newborn reflexes or early movement, but side sleeping is not a recommended sleep position. The safest sleeping position is on the back.

2. Should I move my baby back if they roll onto their side?

Yes, if your baby is not yet rolling both ways independently, gently place them back onto their back. Once your baby can roll from back to stomach and stomach to back on their own, you should still place them on their back at the start of sleep, but you do not need to keep repositioning them all night.

3. Can I use a sleep positioner or wedge?

No. Do not use sleep positioners, wedges, anti-roll pillows, or similar products. They are not recommended and can increase the risk of suffocation or entrapment.

4. When should I stop swaddling?

Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll over, or once they begin rolling. This often happens around 2 months, though timing varies. After that, a non-swaddling sleep sack that allows free arm movement is a safer option.