Try not to stress if your newborn turns to their side in their sleep. This is common and is known as “the newborn curl,” and it goes away in a few weeks. However, research supports that placing your baby on their back is the safest sleeping position.

So, if you catch your newborn curling to their side, gently return them to their back.

The main concern with a newborn sleeping on their side is the risk of suffocation. If they are not strong enough to move independently and are further restricted in a swaddle, their face could become pressed into the mattress. In short, side-sleeping happens, but it’s not recommended to encourage this position, particularly in the first four months of life, when SIDS risk is highest.

You’ll want to get in the habit of placing your baby to sleep on their back and don’t forget to ditch that swaddle at the first sign of rolling.