During pregnancy, one of the first things you might learn about infant care is to put babies to sleep on their backs. But that simple lesson can become confusing when you set your tiny newborn down in a crib — and suddenly find her rolling to her side.
It's called the newborn scrunch or newborn curl, and if your little one is doing this, don't freak out. It's fairly common, and you don't have to reposition your baby on her back. Here's what experts recommend you do instead to keep your baby safe while sleeping.
What is the newborn scrunch?
The "newborn scrunch" isn't a medical term, but it's a phenomenon doctors are well aware of. This form of rolling is not a developmental milestone but rather a physiological muscle movement related to how your baby was curled in your belly in late pregnancy.
"Babies have spent the previous nine months in the 'scrunched up' fetal position, so returning to the position feels natural to them," says Gary Reschak, M.D., a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital. "Physiologically, this position decreases their skin's surface area, which helps babies stay warm."
Getting into the fetal position is what can cause infants to end up on one side or the other, adds Robert Hamilton, M.D., a pediatrician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. "When they're on their back, they can pull their legs up and reassume the fetal position, but on their back," he explains. "When they do that, it gives them more ability to roll one way or the other."
Doctors say that all babies do the newborn scrunch to some degree, although you're less likely to notice it in a preemie. "Premature babies often are too sick or lack the muscle tone required, so it is less obvious in them," Dr. Reschak says. "As premature babies grow, they will develop more tone and start to scrunch. Babies with neurological or muscle problems may also lack the ability to scrunch."
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What should you do if your newborn rolls to the side?
It's understandable to feel panicked if your baby rolls on her side in her sleep, given that medical organizations stress the importance of babies sleeping on their back for safety.[1] But doctors say your little one should be just fine, as long as you follow a few precautions:
- Adjust your swaddling technique. If you have a scruncher, Dr. Hamilton recommends that you don't swaddle your baby's arms before bed. "Keep the arms free," he says. When your baby turns her head, her arm will reflexively go out in the same direction. That will help keep her from rolling over, and when she's older, she can also use her arms to push up if they're out of the swaddle.
- Don't use any baby sleep "positioners" with wedges or blocks to prevent your little one from moving. "Products advertised to prevent babies from rolling over or keeping their heads in a particular position are not safe and should never be used," Dr. Reshak says.
- Keep the crib bare. Put your baby to sleep on a firm surface with a tight-fitting sheet and nothing else. "Be sure there are no items, toys, pillows or blankets in the bed that could suffocate the infant," says Susan Dulkerian, M.D., medical director of Newborn Services in The Family Childbirth and Children's Center at Mercy Medical Center.
- Put your baby down on her back. "Make sure the sleeping area is safe and the baby is at least started on their back, and they will be fine," Dr. Reshak says. "There is no need to wake up throughout the night to reposition a rolling baby."
When does the newborn scrunch stop?
You're not destined to spend the rest of your child's babyhood worrying over the newborn scrunch. There's no hard and fast end date for the newborn curl — every baby is different, after all — but Dr. Reshak says it typically ends or becomes less noticeable after two months. Dr. Hamilton agrees, "This is not an ongoing thing," he says.
By about 4 months of age, your baby will have done enough tummy time to roll over from her stomach to her back. She'll likely master moving from her back to her front when she's around 6 months old.
If you're dealing with the newborn scrunch and are concerned about your baby's safety, it doesn't hurt to check in with the pediatrician. He or she can give you some personalized advice — and reassurance that your baby is doing a-okay.
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