Rolling Into Dreamland: Expert Baby Sleep Tips for the Rolling Phase
Babies rolling from back to tummy is a common developmental milestone that signifies their increasing mobility and strength. Around 4-6 months of age, many infants start mastering the art of rolling over. This newfound skill can bring mixed emotions for parents, as it showcases their baby’s growing independence but may also raise concerns about sleep safety. Not to mention the ways in which it can disrupt your baby’s sleep too!
However, I work with families frequently who are going through this rolling phase so I’ve put together my best tips for sleep success below.
Why does rolling suddenly cause a disruption in baby’s sleep?
When babies begin to roll over, it can suddenly disrupt their sleep for various reasons. Firstly, this milestone introduces them to new sensations and awareness of their bodies and surroundings, potentially startling them awake. Additionally, rolling onto their stomach may be an unfamiliar sleep position, leading to uncertainty and more frequent awakenings throughout the night. The developmental milestones associated with rolling over, such as increased mobility and excitement, can also contribute to disrupted sleep patterns. Babies may become more restless or active during the night as they explore their newfound abilities, leading to disrupted sleep cycles and more frequent awakenings. It’s important to remember that these disruptions during this time are a natural part of baby’s development.
Tips for the rolling phase:
1. Unswaddle immediately
If your baby starts rolling and they are still swaddled for sleep, you’ll need to immediately ditch the swaddle. Swaddling is a great tool and I highly recommend it for newborns (see my blog about that here) but it is no longer considered safe once your baby has the strength to roll. At the very first signs of rolling you want to stop swaddling.
For sleep safety, you also want to make sure that your baby’s crib is empty and without bumpers (yes, even mesh ones)! This ensures that as your baby is rolling around their crib, they aren’t able to get tangled up in anything. No loose items should be placed in the crib.
You also want to continue laying your baby down on their back- even if they roll the second you place them down. We always want to start with your baby on their back and then let them put themselves into whatever sleep position they prefer.
2. It’s safe to leave them on their tummy
While back sleeping is a crucial part of safe sleep, that applies to babies who are unable to roll. I know it can be hard when you feel like “back to sleep” has been pounded into your head for months, to then suddenly change course. But if your baby is rolling completely on their own and ending up on their tummy or side, then they are perfectly safe to stay that way. You do not need to flip them to their back each and every time they roll over.
I often hear from parents that not only are their babies rolling to their tummy to sleep but they are also sleeping facedown on the mattress. Understandably, this freaks parents out. Luckily, this is also perfectly safe. Baby crib mattresses are designed to be firm and flat and they will not conform to your baby’s mouth and nose. This means that even if your baby is sleeping with their face squished against the mattress, they can still breathe!
It’s also why it’s so important that we do not add anything to the crib like mattress toppers, pillows, blankets, bumpers, etc. And if your baby is doing this and it really bothers you and you can’t get past it, feel free to sneak in and turn their head to the side. That’s okay too!
3. Try not to rush in and rescue
If your baby rolls to their tummy and gets upset about it, we always want to pause. With baby sleep, we never want to be rushing into their room and reacting. Instead we want to pause, give them age-appropriate space, assess the situation and then respond.
By pausing and not rushing in, there are several benefits that can come out of it:
You baby may end up getting resituated on their own. Maybe they roll to their back again where they prefer to be and then can easily settle themselves back to sleep.
If they have only mastered rolling from back to tummy and not tummy to back, then pausing gives them some time to work on this new skill. It won’t be instantaneous, of course, but it will help them start thinking in that direction and making the brain to body connections that they need to make before they can learn to roll from tummy to back.
Pausing can also delay gratification for them and therefore act as a deterrent from rolling to their tummy. Basically, your baby can learn that if they don’t want to sleep on their tummy, then they shouldn’t roll there in the first place. Without delaying this gratification, it can turn into more of a game because they’ll quickly learn the pattern that rolling means getting to see mom an extra time instead of boring sleep!
When you do decide to respond and go in, I would first recommend that you simply try to comfort your baby while keeping them on their tummy. Pat their back, rub their head, speak soothingly to them, etc. See if that will help them settle down on their tummy instead of resorting to flipping them over.
If you’ve given plenty of space, tried to soothe them on their belly, and they are still upset, then you can flip your baby over to their back. But still try to give them space to settle themselves back to sleep whenever possible.
4. Practice, practice, practice
Babies' brains are in overdrive when they are learning a new skill. They are determined to master it. Give them plenty of opportunity during the day to work on rolling. Encourage extra floor time. The more they can practice during the day, the quicker they will master it at night (or at naptime) in their crib and the quicker you can get through this disruptive phase!
Rolling often happens around the same time as the 4 month regression so there can be a lot of changes going on at one time. If you need help through this tricky month, I’m here to help with my 1:1 support packages.
