How To Easily Implement Safe Sleep For Your Baby
Did you know that September is National Baby Safety Month? As a sleep consultant, one of the most important facets of what I teach to parents is safe sleep. A safe sleep space for a baby is critical in preventing SIDS and can give every parent the sense of security they need while their baby is sleeping. I am going to explain some of the most crucial components to safe sleep, but if you would like more information on this subject, please go to https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/safesleepbasics/SIDS to get more extensive information on this subject.
Sleep Space
The safest place for a baby to sleep is alone in their crib - and I mean alone. Other than a soother - which is also a SIDS reducer - there should be no blankets, pillows or loose objects in the crib with them. Once they hit a certain age they can start sleeping with a lovey (small stuffy) which can actually be very comforting for them, but that is usually recommended around 6-7 months old (when they are capable of moving the lovey away from them if they want to or need to). You also want to be sure that they are in a swaddle (discontinue use around 4 months old or when baby can roll over) or sleep sack, because not only does this prevent them from pushing their blanket off at night which usually results in them waking from being too cold, it also decreases the risk of SIDS. If these sleep space factors are being met, it can greatly reduce the risk of SIDS for your baby, which can in turn help you to feel much more at ease when they are sleeping.
Room Sharing
It is recommended to sleep in the same room as your little one until they are 6 months old as this can reduce the chances of SIDS. You can have them in your room in their crib or in a bassinet next to the bed so that you can easily get to them when they need to feed or need assistance. Once they hit 6 months, you are welcome to move them to their own room which can be very helpful when sleep training them. If you are bed-sharing with your little one, please make sure you are following the recommended guidelines to reduce the risk of SIDS happening.
Temperature
Studies have shown that the most ideal temperature to set your thermostat to is 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit (18-22 degrees Celsius) to reduce the risk of SIDS. If you don’t have a thermostat, you could get a baby monitor that shows the temperature in your baby's room and prepare ahead of time for what you will put them to sleep in. Thermostat or not, it is important to be using a sleep sack for your baby so that they don’t get too cold if they kick off their blanket at night (they don’t have the mental development to pull the blanket back on them until around the age of 3) and make sure they have the proper clothing on underneath to ensure they are the ideal temperature. It is important to make sure to not put too many layers on your baby for sleep, as this can cause them to overheat and increase the risk of SIDS.
Sleep Position
It is extremely important to always make sure you are putting your baby to sleep on their back. This is one of the most important factors to safe sleep. Once your baby learns how to roll over on their own and they roll over in their sleep, it is perfectly okay to leave them be. You don’t need to go in and put them back onto their back. Make sure that if they are rolling over on their own that you stop using a swaddle if you have been using one. Once they start rolling over on their own you can introduce a sleep sack that allows the arms to be free, posing no risk if they roll over onto their belly.
Did this blog help you? If so, share it with other parents in need! If you liked this blog, you would love my group on Facebook called Sleep Little One. I give advice and tips to parents to help them improve their little one's sleep! Come join us!
Talk soon,
