There are few things more concerning to parents than SIDS and the possibility that their baby might just stop breathing. New parents frequently check their baby’s breathing during sleep and it’s not uncommon to hear a parent say they just wanted to make sure the baby was “still breathing.” This is a normal reaction for a parent and not totally unwarranted. Luckily, there are things parents can do to reduce the risk of SIDS and ensure their baby is sleeping in a safe environment with low risk factors.
No Blankets
As much as you want to wrap your baby up in a blanket, avoid this risk! You can keep baby plenty warm in pajamas and by setting the temperature around 68 degrees. Your baby may be small but they are comfortable in the same amount of clothes you are. Try to resist the urge to over bundle baby with blankets.
Firm Mattress
Babies who sleep in cribs should have very firm mattresses. This is very important and old, used mattresses that are not sufficiently firm should be avoided. Don’t use any mattress that could put your baby at risk.
Safe Sleeping Environment
Make sure your baby is sleeping in a safe place. That means if he is on a grown up bed, ensure there are bed rails, pillows, or something that will keep baby from falling. A good idea is to place the mattress on the floor if baby will be co-sleeping. Do not use pillows, blankets, toys, or anything that could suffocate baby. Avoid anything that could strangle baby, too, like blind cords and the like.
Back to Sleep
Always place your baby on his back to sleep. Many babies prefer to sleep on their stomachs; however the risk of SIDS for stomach sleeping is 10 to 15 times higher than back sleeping. Because of this parents should be vigilant about placing baby on his back to sleep.
These are just a few tips to help you keep baby safe while sleeping. Follow them and you will reduce the chance of something happening to your baby significantly.