Chamillonaire had it right when they sang: “They see me rollin’, they hatin’ ”
The rolling phase – what an annoying phase it can be.
It doesn’t seem to matter what age your child is when they first learn to roll, it is always irritating. My first daughter was early on all her milestones and was one of those kids that was non-stop and into Every. Thing. I remember we JUST got her sleeping better after the “4-month sleep regression” and then she learned to roll. Imagine my enthusiasm when she was up all through the night again. Insert unimpressed face here.
My second daughter could not be any more different. I mean she is 2 and she still doesn’t open any cupboards she’s not supposed to. It’s almost like it doesn’t even occur to her to get into stuff. She was on the later side of average for most of her milestones and rolling was definitely one of them. She was well on her way to about 7 months old before she even tried to roll. We sleep trained Georgie when she was 12 weeks old. She had been sleeping through the night for many months when suddenly she was waking up on her tummy all night long. And she was not happy about it.
Whether your babe is 3 months or 10 I feel your pain. Even whether your child is sleeping well or not, I still feel your pain. It doesn’t matter what stage your child is in, the rolling phase sucks. But negativity aside, know that this phase can be very very short lived.
So what to do?
First things first- keeping your baby safe.
If you have been swaddling (good for you! Swaddling is amazing!) now is your time to stop. Having your baby swaddled and flipping over to her stomach can be a huge suffocation risk. Along with that, of course, make sure that there are no stuffed animals or loose blankets etc in the crib. (I know you all know this already!)
I know many parents will rush in and flip baby back onto her back, afraid of tummy sleeping. After all, it is drilled into us as new parents that tummy sleeping is a no-no. Many experts are saying now that once your baby is capable of rolling, it is safe to leave them to sleep on their tummies. So try not to worry about that.
Next, go through the checklist for a perfect sleep environment and make sure you’re saying yes to each question:
- Is your child’s room pitch black?
- Do you have white noise playing in your child’s room and playing ALL night long?
- Is your child in a sleep sack?
Okay good! Now that we have that figured out its time to practice the art of rolling. Because as they say, “Practice makes perfect.”
Right away start practicing rolling with your baby during the day. Over and over, both ways. Do this often throughout the day and definitely before they go to sleep, especially bedtime. This really helps your babe figure out how to get to their desired sleep position during the night with minimal struggle.
What if that doesn’t work?
Okay first off, like any night waking, give it a little time. About 10 minutes. This will give your child the opportunity to either flip back to where they want to be or to make peace with their new sleeping situation. If your child is still upset, go in and flip them back to their usual sleep position and then walk out. Keep interaction as minimal as possible or it may encourage more night wakings. Always remember that you have the option of staying out altogether. It all depends on your parenting style and if you’re comfortable with that approach.
Try to keep in mind that if you are constantly going in to fix her sleeping situation, then it will take her much longer (if ever) to learn how to get herself in the position she wants to be in. I always encourage parents to take the bull by the horns and go for it. A couple of days of pain but then the hard stuff is over and you will reap the long-term benefits.
Is your child rolling? Did it impact their sleep? Please tell me how you handled it in the comments!
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