Sleep and Newborns
Where and How a Baby Should Sleep
For the first weeks of life, most parents place their child’s crib or bassinet in their own bedroom. A separate room just seems too far away at this early point.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend against bringing your infant to sleep in bed with you for safety reasons. Although many cultures endorse cosleeping, there is a risk that the baby can suffocate or strangle, and studies have shown that there’s a higher incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in households where the baby slept in the parents’ bed.
Establishing a routine right from the beginning can help. How we sleep is based in large part on habit and what our bodies use as the signals that it is time to sleep. Always putting your baby in the crib for sleeping will help signal to the infant that this is the place for sleep. Keep in mind, though, it may take a few weeks for your baby’s brain to signal the difference between night and day. Unfortunately, there are no tricks to speed this up except to be as consistent in your routine as possible.
Always keep sleep safety in mind. Do not place anything in the crib or bassinet that may interfere with your baby’s breathing; this includes plush toys, pillows, and blankets. Although bumper pads are widely used, their safety has been questioned. One study from the CPSC found a number of accidental deaths appeared to be related to the use of bumper pads in cribs and bassinets. The Canadian Pediatric Society has recommended against using crib bumpers since 2004. If you do use bumpers, it’s best to use the kind that secure at the top and bottom.
Also avoid objects with cords or ties, and those with any kind of sharp edge or corner. Make sure the crib you use meets current safety standards.
The AAP recommends that healthy infants be placed on their backs to sleep, not on their stomachs. The incidence of SIDS has decreased by more than 50% since this recommendation was first made in 1992. It is now also recommended that premature infants sleep only on their backs.
It is thought that some babies sleeping on their stomachs may have a greater tendency toward sleep obstruction and rebreathing their own carbon dioxide because they are less likely to rouse themselves to change head positions. Another possibility is that they may suffocate on softer bedding if they are lying face-down.
If your baby has a medical condition, there may be an exception to these recommendations. Your baby’s doctor can best advise you on the right sleep position for your little one.
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