Safe Sleep
When we talk about baby sleep, one of the hardest things to think about are the dangers around our child’s sleep. Hopefully, with this blog post and short list of resources, you will feel more confident in the safety of your infant while they sleep. Remember that we want to avoid any preventable accident with our children. This list is not to hurt feelings or mom-shame, just to inform you on the safest sleep practices.
These recommendations come from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which I follow during my sleep consulting services.
-Baby should sleep on a flat, firm surface, free from loose blankets or toys. Crib bumpers, although cute, pose an unnecessary risk to your infant. Don’t use them.
-Inclined and sitting sleepers, such as car seats and swings, are not safe sleep spots.
-Breastfeeding, especially for the first two months, has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths.
-Sleeping in the same room as parents, in a separate bed, for at least six months is recommended.
-Pacifier use is associated with reduced SIDS risk.
-Swaddling is not proven to reduce the risk of SIDS. If Baby is swaddled, they should be placed on their back and swaddling should stop when Baby starts learning to roll.
This year, the AAP updated the safe sleep recommendations. Something they added to their recommendations was not using weighted swaddles, sleep sacs, or blankets. Weighted products have grown in popularity, even for adults, over the last few years. The AAP has found, however, that they are not safe for infants.
Another thing people wonder about are devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS. The AAP does not recommend these devices, as there is no evidence that they work to prevent SIDS, and even worse- they may give a false sense of security and may allow parents to be comfortable with unsafe sleep situations that put their child at risk.
If you have a newborn, or will have one soon, click over to my Work With Me page to schedule a Newborn Call. We go over safe sleep, newborn sleep, and more.
Link to the AAP Guidelines:
https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2022/american-academy-of-pediatrics-updates-safe-sleep-recommendations-back-is-best/
