Safe Sleep Practices for Babies That Every New Parent Should Know

When you first bring your precious new baby home, you’re going to worry about everything. It’s only natural. But one of the scariest things on new parents’ minds is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). 

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We hear the horror stories and we think about all the “what ifs” of our own situation. This is where most people begin to feel truly helpless for the first time ever.

But the truth of the matter is that there’s a lot you can do to keep your baby safe while he or she is sleeping. 

Here are some safe sleep practices for babies that every parent should know. 

Use only a fitted bottom sheet

Most infants gain the strength and ability to roll over around the age of 4 months. Until then, they have absolutely no way of protecting themselves from suffocation. So, it’s crucial to keep soft items out of the crib. This means no lovies, no blankies, and no pillows. Most experts recommend waiting until the baby is 12 months old before using a blanket. If you’re worried about your child getting cold, use a warm sleep jumper.

Avoid crib bumpers

Setting up the nursery is one of the fun parts of being a soon-to-be mom. And cute bedding is a must. But remember to keep the bed clear of soft items, and this includes bumpers. Many parents want to add bumpers to help keep the baby from hitting the hard sides of the crib, but studies say that crib bumpers are dangerous and increase a child’s chance of SIDS. 

Position Babies to Sleep on Their Backs

If you’re worried about SIDS (as are all parents), you should know that babies are at the greatest risk between birth and four months of age. At this stage, one of the safest things you can do is to position your baby on his or her back during slumber. Your baby should never sleep on his or her tummy. Usually, parents continue with this sleep pattern until at least 6 months of age. 

Avoid Putting Your Child to Bed with a Bottle

This is something parents are more likely to do as the child gets older and can hold his or her own bottle, but it’s never a good idea to put your baby to bed this way. Sure, it’s tempting. Your baby might wake up hungry, and you might want to finally get some sleep. Sleep is important, but you’ll want to avoid anything that could be detrimental to your child.

But putting your baby to bed with a bottle of milk or formula is an unhealthy habit that can lead to tooth decay. Contrary to popular belief, you do have to worry about those baby teeth. If your child gets a cavity before the tooth is ready to fall out, it’s going to hurt and need dental work. 

As a new parent, one of your most important jobs is to keep that new baby happy and healthy. And although it can be scary, it’s probably not as difficult as you’ve built it up to be in your head. 

Follow these tips to keep your baby safe while he or she sleeps. 

This is a collaborative post.