Position your baby for a perfect night of sleep....

In my work, I was once taking care of twins, aged 2 months. Their sleep, as for all children, was really important and followed a structured routine. Sleeping is one of the most essential aspect in your baby's growth. It helps their development in many ways (see next week's post). So how can you give your baby the best environment to help them get the most out of it?

You probably have already heard about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and that the safest position to put your baby to sleep is on their back. So why is sleeping on their stomach linked to SIDS? Even tho it is still a little mysterious, the research shows that your baby is more likely to create a pocket around their nose and mouth that will trap the exhaled carbon dioxide when laying on their stomach. When re-breathed, this air is reduced in oxygen. In the same way, heavy blankets and plush toys could cause CO2 poisoning if your baby has their face against them.

 The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHHD) did research that show the link in between stomach sleeping and increased rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Soon after in 1991, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended back sleeping for babies as a result of this research. The recommended position changed it all, within a few years a decrease of 50 percent in SIDS was seen. The main explanation for this reduction is that back sleeping keeps your baby’s airways more open.

I think that the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is something that you can’t stop thinking about when you put your baby to sleep. As a care giver, especially with new-borns, I had this thought quite often. It is still difficult to explain the causes of SIDS but some factors are known to increase the risk. They are linked to the bedroom environment and the baby's position or also to the prenatal and postnatal condition such as smoking during your pregnancy or low baby’s weight at birth (see link at the end of this post).

What the baby position and bedroom environment increases the risk of SIDS? :

- Exposing  your baby to tobbaco by smoking around them or in the house,

- A bedroom temperature that is too warm,

-Too much clothing, bedding, stuffed animals or soft sleep surfaces around your baby while they are sleeping,

- Sleeping with your baby in the same bed or putting your baby to sleep with your other kids, even for a short amount of time,

-Putting your baby to sleep on his stomach.

What can you do to make sure that your baby will sleep well and secure? Here are some tips :

-AVOID SMOKING around the baby or in the house (or even during pregnancy!) (most people know this)

- keep your baby’s bedroom temperature cool. There is no room temperature recommendation for healthy babies but as per some research I found 18-20 degrees seems to be the common answer.   The best way to keep them comfortable is to skip blankets and leave them in a sleep sac. Dress your baby as you would dress yourself – comfortably warm, not hot or cold. A good way to check your baby temperature is to feel your baby’s chest which should be warm, not hot or cold.

- Make sure that your baby’s cot is safe and that the crib bumpers are thin, firm and securely attached to the crib sides. Avoid soft mattress, fluffy stuffed animals, loose bedding.

-Co-sleeping safely : Baby can sleep in your bedroom but really needs to have their own crib.

-If your baby accepts a pacifier at sleep time, feel free as it seems that there is a link in between the pacifier and a lower risk of SIDS. The explanation could be that the pacifier lets the baby’s airways open while they are sleeping. Never force a baby to take a pacifier if he does not want it or if your baby is already sleeping. It should be avoided during the first few weeks of his life if you are breastfeeding as it can be a bit confusing for them.

-Put baby to sleep on his back, not on his stomach or his side.

There is a lot of devices out there that claim being able to prevent SIDS. I don't recommend them as they are usually quite expensive. The best way to make sure your baby is secure in their bed is to follow the previous tips. Don’t rely on audio, video or movement monitors as there is no real evidence that they are reducing the risk of SIDS.

 

Your baby’s sleep is one of the most important things. A new-born will sleep at least 16 hours a day. They need that time to grow up and get stronger. I am not a mum but I take care of several babies and kids in my work. When I put new-borns to bed, I often have the fear of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome so I understand completely what can cross a parent's mind when it is time to put their precious baby to sleep.

Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age and we can easily get paranoid about it, but by understanding basic rules of positioning your baby for sleep time or making sure their bedroom environment is safe, you can help reduce the risk of SIDS and give your baby a healthy sleep.

I hope you liked this post. We would love to hear about opinion on that subject, feel free to express yourself!

References :

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome

-http://sidsandkidswa.org/assets/info-statements/room-temperature.pdf