SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is one of the most common reasons for an infant’s death. Many accidents happen when the baby is asleep. A safe sleeping environment is essential for all households. Checking on your baby every few minutes may seem feasible but is not the ideal way to ensure they are safe when asleep. Here we have 10 ways to make sure your baby is sleeping safe and sound.
A baby’s sleeping environment should be calm, soothing and free of stimulations. This can ensure the baby gets good quality sleep with very little to no disturbances. At the same time, the environment has to be very safe. Babies can be sound sleepers and can’t really raise the alarm when something is wrong. Not only can’t most of them communicate, they may just not realise something dangerous is happening to them.
It is the responsibility of the parents and adults around to ensure the baby is safe when sleeping. Remember, this is also the only time a new mom gets a break from the constant crying or being needed. If she has to keep worrying about the baby’s safety, it is not really a break for her.
Here are some of the most effective and feasible tips to ensure your baby is sleeping safely:
Buying a baby monitor can be one of your best investments after becoming a parent. There are many models to choose from when it comes to baby monitors. You can get the ones with just the alarm that will go off when the monitor near the baby senses any sounds or movements, or invest in the audio-only models where you can hear what is happening in the baby’s room or invest in the model with a video camera that enables you to see your baby when asleep.
You don’t have to stay in the same room as the one the baby is sleeping in, but it is important to check on the baby every few minutes. Just a quick peek to ensure the baby is sleeping in the right position and does not have anything suffocating them will do.
Ensure you close the windows if you are leaving your baby alone in the room. You can use a mesh window or nets to cover the window without blocking the ventilation. Covering the windows will ensure small rodents, birds or even insects don’t enter the room. Glass windows can allow the natural light to come in without exposing the baby to outside elements.
As tempting as it may be to use cute and soft pillows of various shapes and sizes around your baby, refrain from it. Pillows can smother the baby if they were to pull them on themselves by mistake. With big pillows, you may not even hear your baby’s cries if the pillow falls on their face.
Ensure the sheets are all tucked in securely. This will prevent the baby from pulling the sheets around their face. Babies have a tight grip and may take the sheet along with them when rolling around, and get stuck in it, which may lead to suffocation.
If you are using a humidifier or a heater in the room, ensure it is kept away from the baby’s reach and not near any curtains or other fabrics in the room. Ensure you check the room once in a while if you have appliances running in the bedroom.
If your child is not sleeping inside a crib, chances are they may roll around. Use big heavy pillows around them to prevent them from rolling off the bed. The big and heavy pillows are not easy to move. So your child can’t kick them off the bed nor can they pull it onto themselves.
It is a good idea to keep the baby in the same room as you for the first 6 months. If your baby is sleeping in a separate room, choose a room that is more towards the center of the house rather than some far corner of the house. When the room and the baby’s bed are easily visible to you and others in the house, it is easy to ensure safety. You can also reach the baby in no time in case you hear some noise or cries.
For small babies, ensure they are sleeping on their backs. Avoid making your baby sleep on their stomach as much as possible. You can even prop some heavy pillows around them to prevent the baby from rolling onto their side. Never let your baby sleep in the car seat even if you are worried about waking them. The baby’s head can tilt forward and block the airway, thus resulting in asphyxia (not getting enough oxygen).
Co-sleeping on the same bed may be frowned upon in Western countries but is the norm in Indian culture. Co-sleeping with your newborn in the same bed can be very beneficial for breastfeeding, taking care of the child and patting them back to sleep, especially for a new mom who has undergone a cesarean section, episiotomy, or some complications during childbirth. Just ensure you have enough space on the bed for yourself and the baby. Keeping a pillow between you and the baby can be a good idea if you are worried about rolling over and squishing your baby.
Ensuring your baby’s sleeping safety should be a top priority. Just because they are asleep and not moving around, does not mean there is nothing to worry about. With a little extra care and being vigilant around the bedroom, you can ensure your baby is safe and you can be at peace.
The safest ways for a baby to sleep are on their backs, with no free pillows, soft toys or blankets they can pull over themselves. Sleeping in a well-ventilated room that has enough visibility and easy access ensures the parent can reach the baby immediately in case of an emergency.
This is a sleep training method that aims to teach a baby to sleep on their own. According to this method, the parent should slowly increase the duration of attending to the baby when the baby cries. Start with 5 minutes, then give them 10 minutes, and then 15 minutes to cry it out before you can go in to comfort them.
Reassuring your baby, and helping them calm down by addressing their fears and needs can help your baby feel safe when they go to bed. When they are reassured of their safety and that you will be there when they wake up, babies slowly learn to trust and fall asleep without much struggle.
A baby should never be placed on their stomach or in a car seat to sleep. They should be in a well-ventilated room and in a bed free of loose or heavy objects that can fall on them and cause suffocation.
