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I go into room sharing strategies here, but this is important to mention. #4 Babies should room-share but not bed-share So you can rest assured they are safe on their backs. Babies may cough a little, but they don’t actually choke (choking = blocked airway). In regards to choking on their spit up, thankfully no research has shown this to be a risk because babies have preventative mechanisms to prevent choking. Some babies who prefer tummy sleep might also benefit from a swaddle or sleep sack like the Nested Bean, which puts a gentle amount of pressure on their chests, similar to what they feel with their chest against the mattress. Again, swaddling and following wake-times is extremely important to make sure they are catching their ideal “sleep wave” and not going to sleep overtired.Īlso, make sure their sleep environment is optimal. Put baby to sleep on their backs and teach them to self-settle. Also, some parents worry about a baby with reflux choking on their own spit up. Some babies sleep much better on their tummies, and parents are desperate for sleep. Who knows why, but research is clear that back sleeping reduces the risk drastically. This is one of the leading theories on the cause of SIDS. This creates a pocket of air where they are re-breathing their own carbon-dioxide. It could be because a tummy sleeper is more likely to breathe into the mattress. Research isn’t clear about exactly why tummy sleep is such a SIDS risk.

Swaddling will accomplish the same thing, but safely. One reason babies sleep on their tummies is they are not able to startle themselves awake. That is a pretty incredible result.Įven so, when parents are desperate and babies will actually sleep on their tummies… they let them. When the AAP started recommending back for sleep, instead of tummy or side position, SIDS deaths decreased by 40% in a 2 year span. #3 Baby should always be placed to sleep on their back for sleep Continue holding baby upright after feeds, but then place him down on his back. If you’re finding safe-sleep impossible with your newborn because of genuine reflux, talk about the options for medication with your pediatrician. Follow wake times to make sure overtiredness isn’t contributing to their inability to sleep flat.Īlso, when transferring a sleeping baby from your arms to the crib, have his feet touch the mattress first, not his shoulders or head ( which can make babies feel like they’re falling and trigger the startle reflex.) Make sure you swaddle your baby securely and safely, so that they have the comfort of the womb and their startle reflex is in check.

RECEIVED ZEN SWADDLE IN MAIL HOW TO

Read: How to Stop Contact Naps (Peacefully)- and What to Do Instead WHAT TO DO INSTEAD They also often need to be kept awake after feeds, which can contribute to over-tiredness, making sleep even harder. This is such a tough one, because they seem truly uncomfortable laying flat on their backs. It’s not deep restorative sleep, according to studies, but at least they aren’t screaming!Īnother common reason is that your baby has reflux. Or, baby falls asleep in the car seat or stroller and is not transferred. Also, motion will lull the babies to sleep when nothing else works. They seem to want to be upright, or at least tilted up, and cuddled up more, like in the swing or rock’n play. There is also the less dangerous but very real risk of baby developing flathead (positional plagiocephaly.) Why we break it anywayīaby won’t sleep anywhere else. Why breaking it is so dangerous:Ī baby sleeping in an upright position is at risk of having his head tilt forward so much that it cuts off his airway and blocks his breathing. Even though these products specifically say they are not for sleep, and that babies should always be supervised, this is often disregarded. Instead, they’re using things like the rock’n play, or automatic baby bouncers like the Mamaroo, or just a basic baby swing. With the invention and promotion of so many baby products that enable upright sleeping positions it’s not uncommon for some babies to not do any of their sleep on a flat surface. This is one of the most fundamental recommendations for safe sleep. #1 Baby should always sleep on a flat surface But is a list of the safe sleep practices I most commonly see broken and the reasons this often happens, so that I can help you figure out what to do instead.īecause it’s one thing to KNOW the safe-sleep rule, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually follow it when it turns out following it means endless nights of no sleep.

This article is not a comprehensive list of safe sleep practices.

It’s just my hope that with some extra education AND support for actually implementing these rules in tough situations, that our babies will all be a little safer. Know that this list isn’t to condemn you or judge you for decisions you’ve made in the past.

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