During the first months of their lives, children still do not know how to roll over and settle in bed the way their mother put them to bed. Therefore, it is important for adults to know whether a newborn can sleep on its back, and which position is most comfortable for the little one.
Sweet dream
Features of comfortable sleeping conditions
When the baby does not sleep well during the day, it is possible that he is distracted by outside sounds, light from the street, smells from the kitchen. Then the mother has to be distracted from household chores and keep the child busy with something. At night, this situation does not allow either the baby or his parents to fully relax.
In order for the child to sleep soundly, you should worry about the comfort conditions in advance, adhering to the following rules:
- the baby should have a comfortable bed, with a firm, even, elastic mattress;
- in the first months of life, it is not recommended to use a pillow or choose the flattest model so that the child's head does not rise above the body;
- the temperature is maintained at 18-22 degrees in the room, therefore, a duvet is not used; it is better to put the baby in a sleeping bag or cover with a thin blanket;
- comfortable sleep will provide air humidity of about 60%;
- the room must be ventilated before going to bed; in the summer, the window can be left open at all times, but the baby should not sleep in a draft;
- when laying the little one to sleep, clothes are selected in accordance with the season so that the child does not freeze during sleep, but does not sweat;
- you should take care of the presence of thick curtains on the windows - then the light will not disturb the baby's daytime rest.
How to ensure your baby has a comfortable sleep
Note! The most important condition for a comfortable sleep for a newborn is the position in which he was placed in the crib. The correct position will give a feeling of security, and the baby will sleep soundly.
Existing sleeping positions of a newborn
The first 3 months after childbirth is a period of wearing out, providing a comfortable adaptation to the outside world. The baby does nothing but eat and sleep, building up muscle mass. When the arms and legs get stronger, the toddler begins to move not only during wakefulness. He tosses and turns in his sleep, choosing a comfortable position.
Mom should take care of the optimal position of the baby in the crib. Before putting the baby to bed after feeding, it must be worn vertically for several minutes in order to regurgitate the air that has entered the esophagus.
Then the breast is placed in one of the existing positions:
- the position on the tummy imitates the position of the embryo, to which the child is accustomed in the womb;
- if the baby often spits up, the position on the side will not allow him to choke on the milk mass;
- the position on the back is considered as free as possible for the baby and is most often practiced by mothers.
Each option has its pros and cons, although the former is less suitable for sleeping due to its characteristics. Doctors consider the other two positions to be the best choice, but here it is necessary to take into account the age of the baby.
Important! Do not keep the little one in one position all the time - this will lead to deformation of the spine.
Is it possible for a baby to sleep on his back
Sleeping on the back of a newborn is considered the safest. It is important to take into account the peculiarities of this situation so as not to harm the baby.
How to lay a baby
First, the mother should discuss with the pediatrician when to lay the baby on its back to sleep. If there are no restrictions or contraindications, sending the baby to bed, adhere to a number of rules:
- The whole body of the child is on the back, the head should be turned to the side. This will prevent the crumb from choking if it spits up in a dream.
- So that the baby does not grow up with a crank, the position of the heads must be changed (left, right).
Safe position
- If the baby itself turns the head most often in one direction, it is recommended to periodically put a folded diaper under this cheek.
- Doctors advise changing the location of the baby's headboard, laying the toddler's legs in one or the other side of the bed.
The children themselves like the straight back pose, as it provides them with maximum freedom. But in this position, the baby can scratch his face if he waving his arms in a dream. Therefore, it is better to swaddle the toddler or put on a vest with deaf sleeves, as well as trim the nails in a timely manner.
The position on the back is allowed to be practiced from the first weeks of a baby's life, if there are no contraindications to that.
When a newborn cannot sleep on its back
Restricting sleep in this position includes not only profuse regurgitation, but also a runny nose. If the little one is lying on their back, the nozzles will fill the nasopharynx, making breathing difficult. A one-month-old baby still does not know how to fully breathe with his mouth and with a severe cold he may suffocate.
Note! If the baby suffers from stomach cramps, then in the supine position the pain will only intensify, disrupting the child's sleep.
The diagnosis of "hip dysplasia" is the main reason why newborns should not be placed on their backs. For such children, a different body position is selected - on the belly.
Features of sleeping baby on the stomach
When babies can already choose their own sleeping position, some of them fit on their tummy. Most often, the toddler tends to this position when he is tormented by gaziks. This is the best option for children with dysplasia.
Despite the fact that such a position is a familiar position for an infant, sleeping on the stomach is the most dangerous (according to world statistics). Therefore, when the baby falls asleep in this position, the mother should turn him into a safe position. This is due to the fact that in a dream the baby can bury its nose in bed and suffocate.
In the fetal position
To protect the baby's sleep, the following conditions are observed:
- the baby is laid on a hard, smooth surface;
- do not use a pillow for up to a year;
- there should be no third-party objects (things, toys) nearby.
The mother is obliged to make sure that the child's head is turned to the side. If at night the parents cannot control the baby's breathing, this position should be abandoned by choosing the safest one.
Features of sleeping baby on its side
According to leading pediatricians, the lateral position is the most appropriate option for calming an infant. This position is recommended to practice in such cases:
- if the baby often spits up, the milk mass will simply spill out over the baby's cheek, preventing him from choking;
- when the crumbs have a runny nose - in this position, one nostril will cleanse itself, and the child will breathe easier;
- with colic in the stomach - tucked legs will allow the gaziks to come out freely, which will relieve the baby from pain.
The sleeping position on the side is the middle option between the positions on the back and tummy. The child cannot lie in this position for a long time, so it will roll over. So you need to take into account the moments for whom this sleep option is not recommended.
Additional Information. The lateral position puts stress on the pelvic bones. Therefore, this pose is contraindicated for children with joint dysplasia. It is not recommended for newborns for the first 3 months.
"Nest"
If there are no contraindications, children should be laid on a side from time to time in order to provide them with a comfortable sleep. A kind of "nest" from the diapers rolled into a roller will allow to exclude the spontaneous rolling of the baby on the back or tummy.
They surround the baby from 3 sides: in front, from the back and in the legs. In this case, it is better to lay the toddler on a half roll, slightly tilting the body towards the rear edge. This position will reduce the stress on the hip joints.
You can also purchase a special attachment called a positioner. It will provide safe sleep by limiting your baby's movements.
Sleep positioner
After each feeding, the baby should be laid on the other side. So that the mother does not get confused in the baby's poses, you should take the breast, under which the little one was lying while eating, as a reference point.
What is the most comfortable sleeping position
Having found out when it is possible to sleep on the back of a newborn, and when not, the mother, through experiments, determines which of the options is most optimal for her baby. First of all, one should proceed from the degree of danger of the position.
To eliminate the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, you need to avoid sleeping on your stomach. The exception is children with problems of the hip joints - for them this position will be most comfortable.
If the baby is comfortable sleeping on its side, it is enough to equip a cozy crib for him, taking safety measures. First of all, in this situation, it is impossible to swaddle the baby - trying to get out of the cocoon, he can roll over onto his stomach and bury his nose in the restrictive roller from the diaper.
Leaving the child to sleep on his side overnight, it is better to put on a vest with sewn-on sleeves. In this position, babies often scratch themselves with marigolds.
Even the safest position (sleeping on the back) will give a negative result if the mother does not control the position of the head. A baby may have a flat nape if the baby lies on it all the time. There is also a risk of developing platycephaly, which is characterized by an asymmetry and slanting of the skull.
Embracing a friend
When the little one grows up and learns to independently change the position of the body in a dream, he will choose the most comfortable position for himself. This position will become his favorite for life.
From the above, the conclusion suggests itself that the safest sleeping position for a newborn is the supine position. If the crumbs have problems with breathing, regurgitation, then it is better to lay it on the side, taking measures to prevent rolling over on the stomach.
When, according to physiological indications, both positions are unacceptable for a small child, he will have to be placed in the "fetal position". In this case, parents are forced to ensure strict control of the infant's sleep in order to prevent sudden infant death syndrome.
