Safe Sleeping Tips for Your New Baby

12 Feb Safe Sleeping Tips for Your New Baby

From the moment you bring your new baby home, as a mother, nothing becomes as important as keeping your child safe. This includes making sure they stay safe while they sleep. Your newborn baby needs a lot of sleep, about 16 hours per day. Since a majority of their day will be spent sleeping, you need to make sure that your baby is as safe as possible while they rest.

Giving Your Baby Their Own Sleeping Space

The best place for any baby to sleep is on their own. You should not bed-share with your child. They need their own crib or bassinet. Bed-sharing is very dangerous and the most common cause of infant death in babies under the age of 3 months old. If you have multiples (such as twins), they should each have their own crib as well.

While it is important that you don’t sleep in bed with your baby, it is recommended that you sleep in the same room as your baby for at least the first 6 months of their life, as this makes it easier to monitor your baby.

Creating the Right Sleeping Environment for Your Baby

The right sleeping environment is the first and most important thing you can do to keep your baby safe. In addition to giving your baby their own crib or bassinet, you should set up the crib properly. This includes:

• Making sure you have a crib that meets the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
• Giving your baby a firm, flat surface to sleep on, with a crib mattress covered with a tightly fitted sheet.
• Avoid putting any toys, blankets, loose bedding or crib bumpers in your baby’s crib. This increases your baby’s chances of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Your child may get trapped, suffocate or strangle themselves in this type of sleeping environment.
• Never let your baby sleep on a soft mattress, waterbed or sofa.
• Don’t use portable bed rails. They don’t always stop babies from rolling out of bed, they can get stuck in them and choke.
• Remove any electrical wires or hanging window cords from your baby’s sleeping area so they don’t choke.

Take your time to really create the right sleeping environment for your child. It is the best way to make certain your baby is safe all night long.

Putting Your Baby to Sleep

Want to keep your baby safe while they sleep? Here are some tips on the best ways to put your little one to bed.

• Always put your baby on their back until they are 1 year old, never on their side or stomach. When your baby is old enough to turn over on their tummy, don’t worry.
• Dress your baby in the right sleeping clothes. They should be light and fit properly, without any strings or ties.
• Give your baby a pacifier for bedtime and nap time—it may protect against SIDS. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until your baby is 1 month old before using the pacifier. Don’t force it if your baby won’t take the pacifier.

Keeping your baby safe while they sleep is one of the best ways to prevent SIDS and to make sure your baby is getting the quality rest they need to grow into healthy, happy children. If you have more questions about safe sleeping practices for your baby, call Continuum Pediatrics at 817-617-8600 to schedule an appointment.