Where your baby will sleep is one of the first considerations of most parents. They want their child to sleep soundly and comfortably, wherever they are or move to.
Ensuring your child’s sleep arrangements are safe, though, is essential. Getting it wrong can lead to serious conditions, including sudden infant death syndrome. According to some experts, improper sleeping arrangements are a leading cause of death among many infants.
Fortunately, you can address the situation by following best practices. Parents who provide safe and secure sleeping environments can support their child’s development while avoiding the risk of serious harm.
This post explores where your baby can sleep safely and some best practices for getting your child ready for bed in their first year. Read on to learn more.
Sleeping Arrangements For Your Baby
You should put your baby to sleep in either a:
- Crib
- Bassinet
- Play pen that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission standards
Avoid buying cribs manufactured before 2011. These don’t always comply with new safety standards and aren’t always a safe place for your baby to sleep.
Make sure the vendor designed the crib, bassinet or sleeping area with babies in mind. Do not buy sleeping products designed for older children if your baby is under twelve months.
Parents should also use their common sense. The main risk is anything that could cause choking or suffocation. Manufacturers of products for young children are keenly aware of these issues and regularly take steps to deal with them.
Are Cribs Safe?
Cribs are perhaps the safest place to keep your baby if you’re not a co-sleeper. However, you need to assemble them properly. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Do not take risks. Check you’ve tightened everything properly. Make sure there are no gaps between any of the panels that could cause injury. If you’re not sure how to properly assemble flat-pack items, hire someone to do it for you or buy a crib professionally assembled and ready to go.
The crib mattress should fit snugly up against the inside of the frame. If it doesn’t, it means you’ve made a construction mistake.
Bear in mind your baby can trap their fingers and hands in small gaps. Before putting your baby to sleep, double-check the manufacturer hasn’t recalled the model.
Bassinets
Some parents opt for bassinets. These tend to be significantly smaller than cribs and you can pick some up and carry them around, letting you keep an eye on your baby for longer.
Make sure your baby doesn’t exceed the bassinet’s weight limit. Usually, they have an upper limit of around 20 pounds but always check the supplied literature.
Bassinets are not usually designed for babies over four months. That’s because they don’t provide enough space for them to kick and move around. They may also result in more nighttime crying if you use them incorrectly.
Don’t let your baby share a sleep surface with adult caregivers, including yourself. You could roll over in the night and crush them. They could also become smothered by heavy sheeting above, causing further injury.
Play Pens
Some parents also let their babies sleep in play pens. Like cribs, these provide a barrier to prevent them from falling. They are also flat on the floor, reducing the risk of a fall even more while protecting them from passers-by and pets.
You can use a playpen as a place for your baby to sleep. However, you will need to make sure the manufacturer designed it for this purpose. Usually, play pens are extraordinarily safe because manufacturers want to reduce the risk of getting sued, but there is still a risk.
The biggest problem comes from the sheets that parents lay in the play pen to provide bedding for their children. Loose or bunched-up sheets can obstruct the airway.
If in doubt, use clothing to regulate your child’s temperature. Do not use loose sheets as adults have.
Where Shouldn’t Young Infants Sleep?
When young infants want to sleep, it’s tempting to let them do so wherever they happen to be. Unfortunately, this policy can lead to serious consequences described above.
According to official organisations, babies should only sleep on flat, firm surfaces. Ideally, they shouldn’t sleep anywhere, other than a crib, co-sleeper or bassinet.
You shouldn’t leave babies to sleep in the car seat, infant sling or stroller. According to experts, infants can get into positions where their head gets stuck or the airway becomes constricted and they can’t breathe. That’s because young babies don’t have the strength to move their heads to new positions.
If your child does fall asleep in a stroller or car seat, you don’t need to move them immediately. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping your baby in a portable crib at all times helps you reduce the risk. You don’t have to monitor them as often.
You need to act fast, though, if your baby falls asleep in a swing or bouncer. That’s because the risk of suffocation is higher. Avoid the temptation to pack material around your baby’s head to keep it in the right position. This strategy can actually make your child’s breathing worse and put them at higher risk.
Baby Safety Tips
Keeping your baby safe is a top priority for parents. Therefore, you should always follow safe-sleeping basics.
First, consider the room set-up. Make sure that:
- The crib is not close to windows, blinds or cords. These objects increase the risk of strangulation.
- The temperature of the room is optimal. Babies thrive in 68 to 72°F environments. Warmer than that, and they may overheat. Check their temperature by touching the nape of their neck
- The crib is a sufficient distance from the wall. Young babies can sometimes get stuck if there is a defect in the crib.
You should also refrain from smoking near babies. Evidence suggests second-hand smoke can cause SIDs.
Breastfeeding parents should wait at least three or for months before offering their child a dummy to suck.
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