Baby Sleep Strategies for Avoiding SIDS!

Parents often ask us how to avoid SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the tragic situation where an infant may die in their sleep from no apparent cause. In this article, Roger Kirk goes over some of the best sleep practices for avoiding SIDS and helping parents and babies to get the best sleep possible. If you’ve got questions or suggestions for other topics you’d like us to cover just send us a message! #Babies #Sleep #Pediatrics

Below, Roger discusses some great strategies for avoiding SIDS in babies. First, you want to make sure that your baby is lying on his or her back when you put them to bed in their crib.

1. PUT BABIES TO SLEEP ON THEIR BACKS

For decades people used to put their children to sleep on their bellies. It’s possible that your parents or grandparents were taught that this position for putting a baby to sleep. Studies have shown, however, that there are many instances where babies suffocate or suffer heart anomalies while they sleep in this position. Don’t do it! Put them to sleep on their back instead.

2. AN EMPTY CRIB

Sometimes parents get super excited about decorating their new baby’s sleeping space. Be careful! A baby’s crib should be completely empty with a firm mattress. Otherwise a baby may suffocate when a blanket, pillow, or teddy bear falls across their face. We may think that a favorite toy is cute or comforting to a baby, but these things are really more meaningful to us than they are to them. Best to avoid them altogether.

Again, make sure the crib is empty. A light blanket is okay if it’s properly swaddled around the baby, but everything else should be avoided. (We’ve got a video about swaddling coming up soon!)

3. SAY “NO” TO CO-SLEEPING

New parents are exhausted; the baby’s not sleeping through the night, and it seems like it would be so much easier to just lay the baby next to us on our own bed and catch a few extra minutes of rest. Don’t! Adults (especially tired ones) can sleep very soundly, and roll over on top of their baby without realizing it. Sadly, this happens many times every year. Don’t take the risk. Put your baby in their own crib or bassinet instead.

4. SAY “YES” TO ROOMING-IN

Rooming-in is different from co-sleeping. Rooming-in is where the parents keep a crib or bassinet in the same room where the parents’ bed is. This way the parent can get up in the night to soothe or feed the baby and put them back in their own crib for them to sleep safely and securely. Rooming-in is a great technique which many parents continue for six months or even a year after the baby is born. We highly recommend it.

5. ASK US QUESTIONS!

We hope you’ve found this article helpful and informative. We’re here to answer any questions you may have about best childcare practices. If you’d like to know more about this or any other topic please feel free to send us a message on Facebook, or Instagram, leave a comment on YouTube, or contact us directly through this website: https://preferredmedgroup.com/contact-us/

Happy Sleeping!

Preferred Medical Group is currently accepting new pediatric patients at our offices in Columbus / Phenix City, Fort Mitchell, and Opelika. In addition to sick and wellness visits, we offer Behavioral Health counselling and ADHD assessments for children. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us directly or schedule your next visit through our convenient online appointment system.