Creation of conditions for safe sleep of babies. In which room to put the baby's crib. The pediatrician named 9 main rules on how to forget about sleepless nights with a baby forever.
Not all parents think about whether their baby sleeps well. It seems that he put the child to bed, what else is needed? In fact, everything is not so simple. Improper posture of the baby, toys and extra pillows in the crib can seriously harm the health of the newborn baby, and even provoke Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
How to improve the quality of sleep and prevent SIDS in infants is described in the book of the famous US pediatrician Harvey Karp. Here are 9 recommendations from this doctor to help young parents organize healthy baby sleep.
The safest sleeping position
The baby should only sleep on its back. Only in this position there is no threat of SIDS for the child. And mom, who every time tries to put the baby on the side or on the tummy, should remember that in this way she increases the risk of death of the baby from suffocation by 12 times with her own hands.
The crib is not a place for toys
Any soft surface is a direct threat to the baby. The cradle can only contain a dense mattress, tightly covered with a diaper or sheet. There is no need to put rattles there, nor is there a place for soft toys and all kinds of pillows in the crib. The safest beds are with mesh sides, without unnecessary frills and canopies. It's scary to think what could happen if a baby in a dream accidentally gets entangled in tissue folds and cannot breathe!
Swaddling before bed
Swaddling will help even the most restless baby to fall asleep, but this is done in such a way that the baby cannot release the arms and legs from the diapers. A good way out of the situation is a changing bag, in which it is simply impossible to get tangled. According to pediatricians, sleeping in diapers reminds a child of the last weeks in his mother's tummy, where it was warm and cramped. The baby will sleep much more calmly, since he will not be able to wake himself up by moving his leg or handle.
The child should sleep separately from the parents
Harvey Karp believes that it is safer for an infant to sleep in its own bed until about 9-10 months, because according to statistics, 70% of deaths in infancy from suffocation occurred in the parents' bed. Young parents are very tired and exhausted during the day, so they sleep very soundly and soundly. Dr. Karp defines this condition as "drunken sleep." Parents can simply miss the moment when the baby buries his face somewhere and cannot breathe.
Up to six months, the child sleeps in the room with his parents
According to statistics from American pediatricians, children who sleep with their parents in the same room reduce SIDS by 50%. It is necessary to put the baby to sleep in a separate room no earlier than 6 months, but better after he turns one year old. By the way, being together in the same room at night has many advantages, because in order to feed the baby or change his diaper, mother does not need to run to another room.
Do not leave sleeping babies on sofas and armchairs designed for adults
Sometimes mommies, after feeding and rocking the child, puts him to sleep on the couch. Dr. Harvey finds this unacceptable. After all, the baby can roll to the floor and be injured. There is a great risk that, as already mentioned, the baby will bury its face in the upholstered furniture and suffocate.
Breastfeed for as long as possible
American scientists have found that newborn babies breastfed up to 4 months of age are 40% less prone to SIDS than "artificial" ones. And those babies whom the mother fed with her milk up to 6 months - by 60%. That is why all pediatricians urge women to breastfeed their baby for as long as possible, since breast milk helps to strengthen the health of the baby.
The baby should sleep with a pacifier
The dream of many parents is to wean the baby off the pacifier as soon as possible, but Dr. Harvey Karp argues that there is no need to rush in this matter. As it turns out, there is evidence that a baby's mouth pacifier significantly reduces the risk of SIDS.
Optimal microclimate in the nursery
In order for the baby to sleep soundly all night, it is necessary to create conditions for a comfortable sleep indoors. The room temperature should not exceed 22⁰C. It is unacceptable to smoke in the bedroom, light candles and aroma lamps, heat the stove or fireplace. Any unpleasant smell can disrupt the baby's sleep, which means that the threat of SIDS increases.
It is important to remember that the sleep and wakefulness regime of all children is individual, so parents should not break the "sleeping habits" of their child. If the baby is healthy, his body will feel how much time he needs for a good rest, and the task of mom and dad is to ensure the comfort and safety of children's sleep.
On the topic of sleep:
- How to calm down a crying child (31 tips. Part 2). + 5 steps according to Harvey Karp's method
- An ingenious trick - how to put a child to sleep in 1 minute
- How to put a child to sleep without tears and whims;
- We teach the child to sleep in his bed separately from his mother (video, real stories);
- Whether to rock the child before going to bed: how old can you rock the child;
- The child sleeps only in his arms, and if you put it, he wakes up - a problem or not;
- At what age a child can sleep on a pillow.
