Safe Sleep Practices For Infants (& a Giveaway)

Congratulations to our winner Katie D.!

photo credit halosleep.com

Last week was sleep awareness week, and it seems like a fitting time to highlight safe sleep practices for infants.  This post is not intended to judge nor preach/tell you how to parent, but simply provide facts and great tips for sleep safety for our precious babies. I am the first one to say, in parenting you do what you have to do to make it work for your family, but it's also important to keep safety at the forefront of our often sleep deprived decisions.   I am just a mom, though well versed on infant sleep, I am no expert, so I've partnered with my friend Jessica, the Baby Sleep Geek for some expertise; here are some great safety tips she recommends:

Always:

• Place baby to sleep on his or her back at nap time and at night. Be sure to tell your caregivers as well.  Babies that are not accustomed to sleeping on their bellies who are put to sleep that way are actually an an even greater risk of SIDS. 

• Use a crib that me that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snugly and is covered with a tight fitting crib sheet.  Putting rolled up towels or other sleep positioners over or under the crib sheets is also risky.  Propping your baby on his side isn't safe and these positioners are not safety tested. 

• Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby's sleep area (this includes loose blankets, bumpers, pillows and positioners).  The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket (like the HALO SleepSack) instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.  Be sure that the wearable blanket fits properly.  If is too big it can shift, covering your baby's face and become an asphyxiation risk.  

• Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep.  If breastfeeding, introduce the pacifier after one month or after breastfeeding has been established.  You do not need to replace it throughout the night. 

• After feeding, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe sleep area alongside or near your bed. 

• Room share, but don't bed share. Bed sharing can put a child at risk of suffocation, and room sharing is still way to co-sleep and be close and connected to your baby. (The HALO Bassinest is a fantastic option that literally swivels right up over the side of your bed keeping your baby nice and close but in his/her own sleep space). 

Never:

• Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts, sheep skin etc.  Be careful not to fall asleep with your baby on a couch or other surfaces.  Your baby can become entrapped between you and the furniture or fall out of your arms.  

• Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperatures 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.  If it is comfortable for you, it's comfortable for your babt; no need to jack up the heat.  Babies also do not need to wear hats beyond the few few nights.  

• Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where someone has recently smoked.

Plan Ahead:

Having a newborn is utterly exhausting. Although the frequency varies widely from baby to baby, newborns are hardwired to wake frequently. It’s a survival mechanism in order to ensure they are getting the feedings they need to survive and to stay in check with their environment. As hard as it is during the first 2 months, keep in mind that this is absolutely temporary.  After the first few months your baby’s night sleep will naturally lengthen and you can begin working on a foundation for healthy sleep that will further help night sleep consolidate.  Until then, create a plan with your partner for how you will handle night wakings. It’s important to think ahead so that you don’t find yourself frustrated and desperate in the middle of the night.



Big thank you to Jessica for sharing her expertise and helping parents keep our little ones safe.  To learn more about The Baby Sleep Geek check out her website and follow her on Facebook.  Our friends at HALO are also committed to sleep safety, and you can find great resources including a safe sleep checklist and a brochures for caregivers over on their website


I'm SO excited that HALO has have offered to give one lucky reader a HALO SleepSack of their choice! Simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  This giveaway will end at 12am EST on Wednesday, March 25th, at which time a winner will be drawn at random.  Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My 2 year old Calvin in his Big-Kid Halo Sleepsack

Thanks as always for stopping by!

xx
Rebecca 

Buy a HALO SleepSack now



Disclosure: Please note that these tips should never replace advice from your health care providers, all questions should be directed to them.  Also note that I was not paid for this post but did receive a HALO SleepSack for my little guy to try out.