“Having a baby is one of the most wonderful things in your life, as well as the hardest thing in your life.” Nuno Bettencourt
Babies are amazing. Holding them in our arms evokes feelings of joy, excitement, and often a tiny bit of fear; “Am I doing it right?” September is National Baby Safety Month, a time to raise awareness for every child’s safety, and sleep safety is especially important.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected death of an infant, usually during sleep. SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between one month and one year of age. There is no certain way to prevent SIDS, but there are ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant death. Since babies spend most of their time sleeping, here are four tips for every bundle of joy’s bedtime:
- Head’s up, tummy up!
- Always put a baby to sleep on it’s back; every nap and every night.
- Take a hint from Goldilocks.
- Be picky on the baby’s behalf. Prepare the best sleep environment: a firm sleep mattress with a fitted sheet. Remove all soft objects from the crib, including bumper pads, pillows, and stuffed toys.
- Check the crib and other baby products to make sure they meet federal safety standards.
- Sharing is caring (unless it’s your bed).
- A baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else.
- Sleepwear, à la mode.
- Babies should wear a onesie, sleeper, or sleep sack to bed rather than being wrapped or covered with blankets.
For more information about SIDS, check out Safe to Sleep and SIDSResources.org.
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