Safe Sleep For Toddlers

06 Jul Safe Sleep For Toddlers

When you bring home a new baby, there is a lot of emphases placed on safe sleep. Parents need to worry about issues like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and make certain their little one is as safe as possible when they are trying to rest.
However, once your baby gets past their first birthday and starts to enter the toddler stage of life, there are plenty of other pointers that parents need to keep in mind. After your baby turns one, the risk for SIDS is much lower, but there are other safety issues to remember. Here are some of our top tips for safe toddler sleeping.

• Make sure to keep the rails up on your crib and the mattress at the lowest setting so your baby doesn’t climb out on his or her own. Make sure your move your toddler out of the crib once they have outgrown it.
• Between the ages of 18 months and 3 ½ years, children can sleep in toddler or twin beds. You can always add a side rail for extra safety.
• Always place your toddler’s crib or bed far away from curtains, cords for blinds, and other potential choking or risk factors.
• You don’t have to worry about your toddler’s sleep position as much as you did with your infant. Let your toddler sleep in any position that they are comfortable in.
• Blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals no longer pose as much of a danger to toddlers, so they can have more of these comforts in their bed.
• Toddlers often have issues sleeping through the night, but make sure that you are consistent with when you decide to go and comfort your child. Many times, toddlers are old enough to fall back asleep on their own.
• Don’t forget about a bedtime routine. The more consistent you are with the routine, the easier it will be for your little one to drift off to sleep every night.

There are many toddlers who go through different sleep phases during this time in your life, so don’t get discouraged if you feel as though their sleep habits and patterns change. They will eventually get into a routine as they get older. If you have more questions about your toddler’s sleep habits or creating a safe space for your little one to sleep at night, contact Continuum Pediatrics at 817-617-8600 to schedule an appointment with our team.