what age can babies sleep on their stomach

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants should sleep only on their backs until they reach 1 year of age. This is because back sleeping is the safest position for infants and reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) . However, some babies may start rolling over and sleeping on their stomachs as early as 3 or 4 months old. If your baby rolls from back to stomach on their own at night, it is okay to let them stay that way, as experts say babies at this developmental stage are at a decreased risk of SIDS. Nevertheless, it is still important to keep putting your baby to sleep on their back until their first birthday. Therefore, it is recommended to wait until babies reach 1 year of age before allowing them to sleep on their stomachs.