Child safety while sleeping. Safe sleep for babies. If you have consciously chosen to Co-Sleep

It is recommended to put the baby to sleep on his back;
If your baby rolls over on his own, you should not turn him over onto his stomach to sleep;
It is recommended that soft items such as toys, pillows, duvet, cradle headrest, swaddles and blankets be removed from the cradle unless they are taut. All of these items are dangerous and can cause suffocation and sudden death;
When covering the baby with a blanket, it is recommended to place the baby close to the bottom of the cradle so that his legs touch the “bottom wall” of the crib. It is recommended to cover with a blanket up to armpit height. The blanket should be pulled up and tucked under the mattress;
It is recommended to dress children in one layer of clothing more than adults;
It is recommended that the baby's head and face remain uncovered while sleeping;
The recommended temperature for heating a child's room or the room in which the child sleeps is 22 degrees;
It is recommended that the baby be placed on a firm mattress in a crib or bassinet that meets Standards Institute standards.
It has been proven that sleeping in a crib or baby's bed in the parents' bedroom until the age of six months reduces risk.
Placing a child on a soft bed and/or in an adult's bed, without parents, increases the risk of death in the cradle by 5 times.
It is recommended to avoid sleeping together with parents in the same bed;
It is recommended not to smoke during pregnancy and after the birth of a child near him. Recent studies indicate that 24–32% of crib deaths occurred as a result of the child being near smoking parents or in an environment where smoking occurred.
Diseases respiratory tract are an additional risk factor for death in the cradle.
If one of the parents smokes, relative risk a child's incidence of asthma is 20% higher than that of children whose parents do not smoke.
In addition to its known benefits, breastfeeding is a protective factor against death in the cradle. Mother's milk is rich in antibodies against viral diseases and helps prevent infections respiratory system, which can also become a risk factor for sudden death of an infant;
Using a pacifier(pacifiers) during sleep also appears to be a protective factor. It is recommended to accustom a child, even if he is fed breast milk, to a pacifier, starting from the age of one month. It is easier for a child with a pacifier to wake up and react to a life-threatening situation;
Israeli Ministry of Health

Israeli Ministry of Health and Atid Association
In Israel, about 45 newborns die suddenly every year. 87% of sudden newborn deaths in Israel occur before six months of age. In half of the cases (50%) this occurs in winter time, from January to March.

Among the reasons:
overheating as a result large quantity clothes on the child.
Infants regulate their body temperature through their head and face; if you place your baby on his stomach, the risk of sudden death in the cradle doubles. Children lying on their stomachs are prone to overheating and find it difficult to regulate their body temperature. They inhale air with a reduced concentration of oxygen, their sleep is deeper, they are less mobile during sleep, a hood or various objects located near the child can cover his face and block the free access of air.

Professor Itamar Groto: “Particularly in winter, parents can prevent most cases of sudden death of a child if they follow the rules. The seasonal increase in crib deaths that we see in Israel does not exist in countries where the principle of placing the baby to sleep on its back has been successfully assimilated.
“The risk of death in the cradle as a result of a baby sleeping on his stomach is 5 times higher in winter, compared to 2.1 times in summer,” explains Dr. Anat Schwartz, Chairman of the Atid Association for the Research and Prevention of Sudden Death in Newborns.
Hundreds of studies published over the past two decades indicate that sleeping on your side can also lead to sudden death. A child who is put to sleep on his side can easily roll over onto his stomach. The use of various devices for fixing sleep on the side also represents increased factor risk of suffocation and death in the cradle.
By placing the baby only on his back, the number of deaths in the cradle can be reduced by 50–70%.
Therefore, it is recommended to place the newborn on his back from the first day so that the child gets used to falling asleep in this position.

American scientists have published research results that show that an ordinary pacifier can save the life of a sleeping baby. Sucking a pacifier has been found to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by 90 percent.
It is not entirely clear what the life-saving effect of a pacifier is. It is possible that she (because of her massive arm) simply does not allow the child to suffocate, burying his face in a pillow or blanket. Another explanation is that sucking a pacifier helps the respiratory center in the brain mature.
The child should sleep in a supine position. You should not smoke in the presence of your baby. You should not wear hats on him at home. The baby should sleep in his own crib, but in the same room as his parents, for at least the first six months.
Link

Australian experts from the Monash Institute claim that the pacifier can protect against sudden infant death syndrome. In their opinion, the pacifier allows for better control of the heartbeat.
True, an important caveat is made: the pacifier should not be given until the regime has been established breastfeeding(should take about a month). You need to give up pacifiers at the age of 6-12 months.
Link

It is currently recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that healthy infants sleep on their backs for the first year of life for safety. Infants who sleep on their backs are at a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a condition that affects approximately 4,000 infants annually in the United States.

Recommended safety measures include:
Place your baby on their back for sleeping and encourage supervised tummy time when they are not sleeping
Offer your infant a pacifier when sleeping
Place your infant on a firm mattress without bumper pads
Cover your infant's mattress with a fitted sheet
Avoid any loose bedding, pillows, stuffed animals, comforters, bean bags, waterbeds, sofas or soft mattresses
Do not use blankets to cover your infant and avoid covering the baby's head, instead using sleep clothing such as sleeper sacks or a one-piece sleeper outfit
Make sure your crib is safety-approved
Avoid the use of wedges and positioners
Babies should sleep in the same room as their parents but not share the same bed
Maintain a comfortable room temperature, avoiding drafts and overheating
Avoid placing your baby too close to air conditioning or heating vents
Do not expose your baby to secondhand smoking
If room sharing, do not let your baby sleep on your bed, couch or chair
If your baby is not sleeping in a crib all of the time, use a bassinet or portable crib and apply the same safety measures
It is not recommended to use SIDS reduction monitors or devices.

“Death in the cradle” is what people also call sudden death healthy child during sleep. Doctors call it sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). According to statistics, babies from birth to 1 year are more susceptible to sudden infant death syndrome. It is characteristic that SIDS can occur anywhere the baby sleeps: in a cradle, bassinet, car seat. It is called sudden because there are simply no warning symptoms that foreshadow a tragedy. This happens in the midst of the child’s complete health, against the background of complete well-being.

Unfortunately, scientists have not yet been able to find out the exact cause of sudden infant death syndrome. However, in the course of numerous studies, data have been obtained that convincingly assert that, after all, every parent can prevent sudden child death syndrome by following simple rules. These rules are based on the fact that scientists were able to find factors predisposing to SIDS, that is, those factors that most often accompanied this condition. In other words, these factors were not in themselves the cause of death, since the real reason no one knows, but they were most often encountered during the investigation of each specific case of SIDS.

Factors associated with SIDS include:

baby sleeping on his stomach;
maternal smoking during pregnancy and smoking in the room where the child is;
overheating of the child during sleep;
improperly selected sleepwear;
the surface on which the baby sleeps is too soft.

So, let's look at these rules - what you need to ensure that your child's sleep is safe. They are not very complex, but their effectiveness has been proven all over the world.

The safest sleep is on your back!

When you put your baby to bed in a crib, be sure to place him on his back. Studies have shown that babies who sleep on their tummy or side are much more likely to die from SIDS than babies who sleep on their back. Many grandmothers may not agree with this rule and will insist on putting the child to sleep on his side. Contrary to popular belief, healthy child will not choke if he burps while lying on his back. Nature took care of this: a baby sleeping on his back always reflexively turns his head to the side. But at the same time, the child should not be tightly swaddled, as was done in the time of our grandmothers, and even 10 years ago. If a child is dressed in a shirt, rompers or overalls, he has the opportunity to freely move his arms and legs, and, very importantly, his head. Therefore, the risk of choking during regurgitation is much lower than when the baby is swaddled.
Therefore, always place your baby in the crib to sleep on his back.

There are other dangers associated with swaddling. And one of them is overheating of the child.

Do not overheat your child while sleeping!

Research shows that one of the risk factors for SIDS is simple overheating. Make sure your baby doesn't overheat while sleeping.
Do not swaddle your baby because tight swaddling can cause overheating. It is best to dress your child in light sleepwear.

The optimal temperature in the room where the child sleeps is 20-22˚C. Do not place the baby's crib near heating appliances, as this can also lead to overheating of the baby.

Safety crib

The baby must have his own individual crib. If you have older children, do not allow your baby to sleep with them.

The baby's crib must be in full working order. Pay attention to the mattress. It should be rigid and even, tightly fitting to the sides of the crib. Do not use a feather bed or other soft surface for your baby's crib to sleep on.

The baby also does not need a pillow under his head. It will be needed no earlier than in a year.

Remove from the crib Stuffed Toys. And make sure that pets don’t sneak into your baby’s crib.

To prevent your baby from slipping under the blanket, lay him down so that his legs touch the back of the crib. Top edge The blanket should be at the level of the child's chest, and the side edges should be folded under the mattress. For sleep, it is practical to use special sleeping bags for babies.
Also, never cover your baby’s face with a blanket or diaper.

To ensure your baby is under your constant supervision, do not “move” your baby into a separate room, even when possible, because this increases the risk of SIDS. It's better to place his crib in your bedroom, next to your bed. The side of the crib that faces your bed can be lowered or removed altogether. It is important that the mattresses are at the same level and there are no gaps between them. This “attached” bed makes it very easy to care for the baby at night and breastfeeding.

Baby and mother sleeping in the same bed

Many mothers breastfeed their baby while lying in their bed - this is convenient for both mother and baby. Remember that mom may fall asleep while nursing, but not all adult beds are safe for baby.
Mothers who want to feed their children in their own bed should remember the following rules.

You should not take your child to your bed if:

you sleep on a sofa, feather bed or armchair;
before this you used alcohol, medications or other substances that weaken your attention or cause drowsiness;
you are unwell or feel extremely tired and find it difficult to look after your child;
do not put the baby in your bed if the child was born premature, low birth weight, or has a high body temperature;
do not leave your child on an adult bed alone, unattended, or if other children are sleeping there.

Breastfeeding your baby

Breastfeeding is extremely beneficial for both your baby and you. Research has convincingly proven that when artificial feeding the risk of SIDS increases many times over. Therefore, try to breastfeed for as long as possible. Today, all over the world it is recommended to breastfeed babies for at least 2 years.

Don't smoke in the room where your baby sleeps

It has been proven that a child who inhales tobacco smoke, has a much greater risk of cot death. Do not smoke yourself or allow anyone to smoke near your child. There are studies that have shown that the risk of SIDS in a family where both parents smoke is much higher than in a family where one parent smokes or does not smoke at all.

By following these not very complicated rules, parents can make their baby’s sleep truly safe.

Also, take your baby in your arms more often, play with him, communicate, talk, sing songs, etc. Massage, gymnastics, and any educational games will also be useful for the baby. During these activities, you can place your baby on his tummy; this will not cause him any harm. While under your supervision, the baby will learn to crawl and play.

At the beginning of the second month of life, the baby still spends most of his time sleeping: an average of 19 hours a day. In order for him to be as comfortable as possible, and for you to be calm about your baby, you should follow some rules.

Promote healthy sleep

Whether your baby is a big sleeper or not, the following tips, most of which help recreate the comfort of the womb, will help you improve the quality of his sleep.

The child does not sleep well

Children who are carried a lot sleep a lot, which can have two adverse effects.

On the one hand, they get used to prolonged sleep, on the other hand, they often sleep so much during the day that they sleep poorly at night. If your baby falls asleep as soon as he is placed in a carrier or sling, limit its use.

COMFORTABLE BED - In the first weeks of life, many newborns feel that the crib space is too big for them and begin to cry when they are placed in the middle of the mattress. If it seems to you that your baby is uncomfortable in the crib, then let him sleep for the first few months in a cradle, cradle-basket or stroller cradle, the limited space of which resembles the mother's womb. To further increase your baby’s sense of security, you can put him in a sleeping bag.

ROOM TEMPERATURE - The temperature in the room should be from 18 to 20 °C. Feeling cold or hot can disrupt your baby's sleep.

SOOTHING MOVEMENTS - In the mother's womb, the child is active in those moments when the mother is at rest. When she gets up and walks, he calms down, rocked by her movement. And later, movement has a calming effect on children. Rocking, rocking or lightly patting will help your baby feel comfortable and sleep well.

QUIET PLACE - Babies sleep better in a separate room, not because they are disturbed by your presence, but because then you are less tempted to take the child in your arms at the slightest sigh, thereby needlessly interrupting his sleep. Just stay close to hear his cries before they turn into screams, or use a baby monitor.

Be careful not to confuse light sleep with wakefulness: your baby may appear excited, open his eyes, smile, or whine while still asleep. However, if you pick him up, it will be difficult for him to fall back to sleep. Wait until you are sure he is awake.

RITUAL - Considering that babies most often fall asleep at the breast or while sucking on the nipple of a bottle, a sleep ritual seems unnecessary. However, it is never too late to start, and at the age of 6 months similar ritual should become daily. Bathing, quiet play or a lullaby will calm the baby. Breastfeeding or a bottle of formula may complete the ritual or be offered slightly earlier for kids who already know how to fall asleep on their own.

REST DURING THE DAY - Some parents try to solve the problem of sleep at night by keeping children awake more during the day, even if the child wants to sleep. This is a blunder (although the duration limit nap- a good idea), since the sleep of a tired child is more nervous than the sleep of a rested baby.

Attention!

When leaving your child with another person (nanny, grandparents, friend or wet nurse), make sure that person understands the need and importance of putting the child to sleep in the supine position.

Preventive measures for sudden infant death syndrome

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death from respiratory arrest of a healthy child between 1 and 12 months of age. The maximum risk of SIDS occurs between 3 and 6 months.
SIDS is not associated with childhood illnesses.
Nowadays, researchers have come to believe that children exposed to SIDS appeared to be quite healthy, but they had a predisposition. In such children, the brain control center has not matured, which wakes us up in case of discomfort or respiratory arrest. Sudden death can also be caused by heart failure.
Precautions to reduce the impact of some causes of SIDS:
- Tobacco increases the risk of sudden death. Therefore, its consumption is strictly prohibited before, during and after pregnancy.
- It is necessary to place the baby on a firm mattress and only on its back or side. Since in a position on the stomach or on a soft mattress, the access of air to the child is reduced both for ventilation of the body, which interferes with its thermoregulation, and for normal breathing.
- The child should not be tightly wrapped. He should sleep in a room with an average temperature (18-20 ° C), without a warm blanket and pillow. If necessary, place a humidifier in your child's room.
- If a child has a runny nose, you should properly treat it and care for the baby. Namely: to clear the nose by instilling physiological fluid, since the baby does not know how to breathe through the mouth.

Threesome sleep

Many parents put their children to sleep in the same bed with them. My daughter often wakes up, and it seems to me that such a solution to the problem would suit everyone, and we could sleep longer.

Proponents of co-sleeping put forward many arguments: it strengthens family ties, makes it easier to feed and lull the child to sleep. In France, experts oppose this practice, which is widespread on the other side of the Atlantic. The parents' bedroom should remain a place of privacy. In addition, the child needs such separation in order to perceive himself as an independent person.

The parent's bed can become a meeting place and be "family" only occasionally; You can bring your baby here to breastfeed or give him a bottle if you prefer. Let us add that sleeping three or more people in the same bed seems risky.

To ensure the safety of the child in the parent's bed, it is necessary to take a number of special measures precautions. The mattress should be firm (no foam or water mattresses) and covered with sheets or a mattress protector that fit snugly around the mattress. Avoid using blankets. There should be no risk of a child falling into the openings between parts of the bed (the distance between the headboard elements should not exceed 6 cm in width; there should be no space between the bed frame and the mattress).

Never place your child against a wall (he could fall between the wall and the bed and get stuck), nor in a place where he could fall out of bed. Never leave your baby to sleep with a parent who has deep sleep, or which is in a state alcohol intoxication, or takes sleeping pills. Never let an older child sleep next to an infant. Never smoke or allow anyone to smoke in bed, as this increases the risk of sudden death (and fire).

The best way to keep your baby close to you and safe is to place his crib next to yours, and this situation should be temporary.

Observation after illness

Yesterday afternoon I discovered that my baby had turned blue and was lying absolutely motionless in his crib. Distraught with panic, I grabbed him, and he began to breathe again. The doctor wants to hospitalize him for examination.

No matter how terrifying the experience, in some ways it is better to have the experience. As a result, not only did your baby get out of this situation, but now you, as well as your attending physician, are warned about the possibility of a relapse, which increases the chances of a successful outcome. Your doctor recommends hospitalization and testing to prevent this from happening again.

Your baby had serious problem, but this does not mean that sudden death could occur and that the child is in danger. As a precaution and to determine what caused the respiratory arrest, the hospital will conduct an examination, including a survey, listening, ultrasound, various tests, and may use monitoring to identify other episodes of prolonged respiratory arrest. The same examination is performed on children who have not had a history of respiratory arrest but whose brother or sister has been a victim of sudden infant death syndrome.

The result of the examination sometimes allows us to identify simple reason- infection, convulsions or airway obstruction - which can be eliminated and recurrence avoided.

If the cause cannot be determined or pulmonary or cardiac problems are discovered that increase the risk of sudden death, your doctor may recommend that you monitor your baby's breathing and/or heartbeat at home using a special monitor.

Don't let this episode, hospitalization, or monitoring become the center of your worries and worries. Your baby is quite likely completely healthy, and you will make him a “patient”, which will interfere with his normal growth and development. If monitor monitoring escalates the situation instead of defusing it, seek help from a doctor or qualified professional, but do not stop using the monitor.

Six states of consciousness

Baby behavior is much more complex than it might seem at first glance. It can be divided into 6 states of consciousness.

Calm wakefulness

Children in a state of quiet wakefulness are inactive. They are focused on contemplation (with wide with open eyes) and listening. This state is the ideal moment to communicate with your baby. Newborns spend approximately 2.5 hours a day in this manner.

Active wakefulness

When a child is actively awake, he moves his arms and legs and sometimes makes soft sounds. Despite the fact that the baby looks at a little bit of everything, he concentrates more on objects rather than people. Most often, children are in this state before feeding.

Cry

Of course, this condition is most typical for newborns. Children cry when they are hungry, feel uncomfortable, sad when they are not given enough attention or when they simply feel unhappy.

Drowsiness

Children are in a state where they wake up briefly or doze off. They have charming but strange movements and facial expressions (for example, furrowing their eyebrows), their eyelids are slightly drooping, and their eyes are sleepy.

Restful sleep

The baby's face is relaxed, the eyelids are closed. Body movements are rare and limited to minor twitching of the limbs or movements of the lips, breathing is even. Phases good sleep alternate with phases of light sleep every 30 minutes.

Shallow sleep

Children are in this state (much more relaxed than it might seem) for half the time they sleep. The eyes are closed, but the pupils move frequently and quickly under the eyelids. Breathing is uneven, sometimes babies make sucking or chewing movements or even smile. Their legs and arms may jerk in different directions.

And safety! Our article is devoted to the safety of children's sleep. This is a very important topic that is so little covered in Russia.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Death in a child's sleep in the first year of life is associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Absolutely healthy baby dies unexpectedly in his sleep. Most often, such cases are recorded during sleep, which is why this syndrome is called “death in the cradle.” Babies in the first year of life are most at risk of SIDS; the risk is especially high in babies in the second and third months of life. 90% of all cases occur in babies under 6 months.

However, SIDS is only part of the conditions that come under the term “Sudden Unexpected Death of Infants” (SUDI). A significant portion of cases of SUD are accidental asphyxia and suffocation in bed.

Ensuring your newborn sleeps safely is the most important step to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The unexpected death of a baby in a dream is a rare phenomenon in Russia only 43 cases per 100,000 children born were registered. However, attention should be paid to safe sleep management even if it saves the life of at least one child!

Sources of information about safe children's sleep

In Russia, unfortunately, a targeted unified campaign to inform parents has never been carried out; there is very little information in open sources. That is why we were forced to turn to foreign sources, in particular:

American Academy of Pediatricians www.aap.org
American Academy of Sleep Medicine sleepeducation.com
American National Sleep Foundation www.sleepfoundation.org
National Center for Sleep Research www.nhlbi.hih.gov
Infant Sleep Information Source www.isisonline.org.uk
Consumer Reports www.consumerreports.org
Consumer Product Safety Commission www.cpsc.org
American Institute of SDVS www.SIDS.com
SIDS Alliance www.firstcandle.com

In the same room with parents

One of the first questions that parents look for an answer to even before the baby is born is where will he sleep? It is important to know that sleeping in the same room with your parents for at least 6 months is much more comfortable and safer! It is important to understand that sleeping in the same room as your baby reduces the risk of SIDS by 50%

You will be able to hear and react quickly if your baby cries, burps, or has trouble breathing. In Russia, almost 100% choose to sleep in the same room with their baby up to 1 year of age.

Is it dangerous to take a child into your bed?

Adults have been taking in children since time immemorial! This is as old as time! Since ancient times, children and parents slept together for warmth and comfort. But the term “putting a baby to sleep” has been known since ancient times. What does this mean? These are situations in which a mother, having put the baby to bed next to her, breastfeeding him, falls asleep and accidentally (unintentionally!) presses the baby’s nose and mouth with her breast or another part of the body, as a result of which the child cannot breathe. Preventing this situation was the task of zemstvo doctors of tsarist Russia, as well as pediatricians of young Soviet Russia, from which propaganda posters remain.

Over the past 20 years, scientists have devoted a lot of time and effort to the question: Is it dangerous to take children into your bed? The issue of the safety of a child of the first year of life sleeping together in the same bed with parents or other people is a subject of active scientific research and controversies to date.

The research results are somewhat troubling. Today, there is extensive statistics of tragic cases associated with sleeping in a parent's bed. It has been proven that co-sleeping, even in the absence of smoking and the use of alcohol and drugs by parents, is a high risk of developing SUD in the infant.

However, not all researchers support this view, emphasizing the strong evidence that co-sleeping with a baby helps support breastfeeding. There is an opinion that the issue of the safety of co-sleeping with a child should be discussed carefully, taking into account the cultural level of the family and the personal beliefs of the parents. A clear position on this issue is presented only American Academy of Pediatrics, which prohibits co-sleeping due to the high risk of developing SUD, especially for children in the first three months of life, even if the parents do not drink alcohol or smoke. This position was supported by Canada, Australia and Oceania, and most countries in Europe and Asia.

The most the best solution It will be a good idea for you to ensure that your baby sleeps directly next to your bed. In a cradle, in a side crib or in a bed with sides, but not in your bed!

It will be easy for you to feed and soothe your baby, and you yourself will sleep better, knowing that you have taken everything possible measures so that your baby is not in danger.

Safe sleep - Unsafe sleep

9 mistakes in organizing Secure Children's Sleep in the image above (right block):

sleep in a separate room
sleeping on your side
head-to-bed position
pillow
two blankets
cap
the crib is by the window
the crib is next to the radiator
without a pacifier

If you have consciously chosen to Co-Sleep

If, no matter what you choose, you need to minimize potentially dangerous factors. Our recommendations will help you create a safe and comfortable environment and minimize the risk of trouble:

Your bed should be absolutely safe for your baby. The mattress should be hard, even, the sheet should be stretched and secured. You should not sleep on soft feather beds or water mattresses.
Use bed guards to prevent your baby from falling out of it.
If your bed is pushed up against a wall or furniture, check every day for any gaps between the bed and the wall where a child could fall.
The child should lie between the mother and the wall (not between the mother and father). Fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers do not have the maternal instinct, so they cannot feel the child. Often mothers wake up from the slightest movement of the baby.
IMPORTANT! If you find that you only wake up when your baby is already crying loudly, then you should seriously consider moving your baby to your own crib.
Use large mattresses to ensure there is enough space for everyone sleeping

Do not sleep with your baby if you are overweight, this can lead to dangerous situations. How to check how dangerous your weight is? If your baby rolls towards you because the mattress is too compressed under you and a depression is formed, then you should not practice SS
Remove all pillows and the heavy blankets from your bed.
Do not wear shirts and pajamas with ribbons and ties, and keep long hair away
Remove all jewelry at night
Do not use perfumes or creams with strong odors
Don't let pets sleep in the same bed as your baby
Never leave your baby alone in a large bed unless you are sure that he is completely safe.

American Baby, with the support of Safe Kids Worldwide (which works to prevent childhood injuries), surveyed more than 4,500 mothers with babies one year old or younger to find out how they put their children to sleep. Although all parents insist on knowing the basic steps to reduce the risk of unintentional suffocation of their babies during sleep, too many of them neglect these rules.

Mistake number 1

We make beds cozy

Amazingly, 73% of moms in the study reported that they put at least one item in their baby's crib: a blanket (59%), stuffed animals (23%), and pillows (8%). Oddly enough, all this “beauty” can increase the risk of death due to negligence by five times. However, many parents continue to believe that it is okay to put extraneous things in the crib. To be fair, let’s add that it’s not just moms’ fault. "When women walk along a store with blankets, pillows, toys, they think that by buying them they are making a child's life more comfortable," says Rachel Moon, director of the National Health System.

Let's add security: emptiness is the best

There's only one thing you should have in your crib: a fitted sheet. No pillows, blankets, toys or other foreign objects.

We do not put the baby to sleep on his back

28% of mothers said they put their baby on their stomach to sleep, although this practice increases the risk of suffocation. Moreover, 42% of mothers do this before the baby reaches 3 months. But the most risky period in terms of the possibility of a baby’s death due to negligence is the first four months. Many of these moms and dads are what doctors call “conscientious objectors”: they think that doing things on their own is much better than following the pediatrician’s advice.

Let's add safety: putting your child to sleep on his back is an indisputable rule, like a seat belt in a car.

“The only way to teach your baby to sleep on his back is to put him to sleep on his back,” says Rachel Moon. “It’s the same with a seat belt - kids hate it, but that doesn’t justify not using it. Parents should continue to place the child on his or her back until the child is 1 year old.”

Co-sleeping

65% of mothers surveyed sleep in the same bed with their child, and 38% of them do this regularly. Of course, parents are concerned about the possibility of accidental suffocation, but nevertheless they continue to do it. Why? It’s just easier to care for them, maintain contact with him and follow the feeding schedule without much hassle. But sharing a bed with a baby is quite risky. Research shows that half of unintentional infant deaths occur during co-sleeping. Compared to sleeping in a crib, the risks increase 40 times.

Let's add safety: place a special bedside cradle for a newborn next to yours.

Gradually, step by step, move the baby to sleep in his cradle. For example, put your baby in his bed and sleep in his room until he gets used to it. If conditions do not allow, place the crib next to your sleeping place. Then, when your baby gets used to this sleep pattern, move the bassinet into his room. Not only because this way he will be safe, but he will also sleep much sounder.

“In a study I conducted, we found that babies who sleep with mom and dad wake up twice as often as those who sleep alone,” says Dr. Moon. “They don’t learn to self-soothe, so they have trouble falling asleep.”

Sofa – not a place to sleep with a child

It’s amazing that half of the mothers surveyed not only practice co-sleeping with their children, but choose cozy sofas for this. This is a dangerous choice because sofas are softer than beds, so parents can inadvertently roll down and cut off the baby's air. However, some parents believe that the baby will be even safer on the sofa than in the bed, since he will be between the bodies on one side and the back of the sofa on the other, and will not be able to roll off. But we assure you, a fall is not the worst thing that can happen to a child at night.

Add safety: chat, play with your baby on the sofa, and then transfer him to the crib

When you wake up at night, avoid feeding or taking your baby to the sofa. And if your baby eats and falls asleep peacefully, and you want to sit next to him, think twice. And never place a sleeping child nearby. Even if you are awake at this moment and it seems to you that the situation is under complete control, it is still unsafe. A minute is enough for the irreparable to happen.

It is worth coming to terms with the idea that the need to take care of the baby’s safety in the first year of life will take a lot of energy. But this period will come to an end, your child will grow up and pretty soon outgrow these risks. Then you will calmly remember his infancy, knowing that you did everything right.