Sleep Safety for Your Baby’s First Year
Creating a safe and comfortable sleeping environment for your baby is important for so many reasons. As a new mom, you want a happy well-rested baby, but you also want time to get rest yourself. Additionally, it’s imperative to make sure the sleeping space is safe and guidelines are being followed.
Back is Best
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) insists that babies should be placed on their back to sleep at all times (both naps and at night). The baby’s sleep area should be kept in the same room as the parents for at least six month, although 12 months is preferable. Opt for a wearable blanket rather than a normal blanket, but keep an eye on your baby’s temperature by watching for signs that he/she is getting too hot. Heat signs include sweating and hot body areas to the touch. Additionally, be sure a blanket does not cover your baby’s head.
Crib Safety
Several factors contribute to making sure the environment is safe. First, the crib should be safety approved and should contain a flat mattress covered by a fitted sheet. The area around the baby should be completely empty. Soft bedding, blankets, pillows, bumper pads and toys should not be in the baby’s sleeping area.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Once the safe sleep area is ready, the real challenge begins. While some babies will easily sleep through the night, others will not. Many newborns sleep 10-18 hours per day, but the problem is that they don’t know when it’s day or night. Creating a routine is one way to begin to get the baby to realize when it’s bedtime. The idea is to create a set of steps that are followed each and every night.
When planning a bedtime routine, consider what activities make your baby excited and what activities are more calming. Keep more active undertakings for daylight hours and reserve quite games for the evening. Nightly baths are calming and will help your baby wind down. Reading, rocking and music are also wonderful ways to calm baby. This way, your baby has something to look forward to before bed, which may make him or her associated bedtime with this activity that brings them job. In addition, aim to make nighttime conditions consistent, so if your baby wakes up through the night, the same light and sounds are on.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/sids/Parents-Caregivers.htm
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/nighttime#1