Balance your need for evidence-based sleep recommendations with the bonding tips that you may receive from your parents or other relatives.
How Safe Sleep Practices May Affect Your Family
For families, some of these recommendations can create gut-wrenching dilemmas as not all of the guidelines are easy to follow, and your baby doesn’t always cooperate.
Every year about 3,500 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly while sleeping. Many of these deaths are due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), entrapment, and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. These numbers have been the same for about the past 25 years. This is almost 10 babies a day.
While some SIDS cases can’t be prevented, most sleep-related deaths occur in unsafe sleep environments─and these deaths are preventable. As a parent, there’s so much you can do to help your baby sleep safely if you understand the reasons behind the sleep recommendations.
New Safe Sleep Guidelines
In July 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published updated safe sleep recommendations and guidelines that acknowledge the realities and dilemmas you face as a parent. We’ve got the full list of recommendations in this article. Discuss with your family and friends if they haven’t cared for a baby in a while and are trying to give you tips on how to put your baby to sleep.
Back to Sleep
This is still the most important safe sleep “rule.” Results from studies have proven that babies don’t choke more on their backs because their feeding tube to their stomach (esophagus) is positioned below/behind their airway tube to their lungs (trachea). Thus, when a baby on their back regurgitates fluid, it will pool next to their esophagus, not the trachea.
The opposite is true when babies are on their tummies. And side-positioning isn’t recommended because infants may roll over too soon when put to sleep in this position. They may not be strong enough yet to move themselves out of danger, such as from blankets.
Swaddling
This is considered safe and helps calm baby as they fall asleep on their back. It can also be dangerous if not done correctly. Safe swaddling includes these actions:
- Baby must be on their back only─not their side or tummy
- Swaddle should be snug (but not tight) around the chest and hips
Once baby is trying to roll over, stop all swaddling─this can happen as early as age 2 months. You can purchase swaddle sacks; they’re a good alternative to swaddling with a thin blanket (as done in many hospitals).
Breastfeeding
Nursing your baby is shown to reduce infant death risks─experts can’t emphasize and recommend breastfeeding strongly enough. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%! Exclusive breastfeeding is best, but some is better than none.
Skin-to-Skin
Going skin-to-skin with your little one is safe and highly encouraged as it promotes breastfeeding. Just make sure to return baby to their own sleep space when you first begin to get sleepy. It’s not safe if you fall asleep with your baby skin-to-skin.
Put Your Baby to Sleep Safely Every Time: AAP’s Safe Sleep Recommendations
- Get regular prenatal care during pregnancy─this gives baby the best possible start
- Baby on their back to sleep for all sleep, starting at birth. Side and stomach positions are unsafe
- Baby sleeps on a firm, flat, noninclined sleep surface, such as a firm infant mattress in a safety-approved crib, play yard, or bassinet
- Breastfeeding is protective; exclusive nursing is best, but any amount is better than none
- Room-share without sharing a sleep surface for at least the first 6 months: Couches and armchairs are more dangerous than an adult bed. No bed-sharing situations have been found safe
- No blankets, pillows, toys, or other soft and loose items in baby’s sleep area
- Pacifiers are protective once your breastfeeding routine with baby is firmly established
- Don’t smoke during or after pregnancy and baby’s birth
- Avoid alcohol and drugs (e.g., marijuana) during pregnancy and after baby is born
- Baby sleeps in a cool room: Avoid overheating baby and covering baby’s head during sleep
- Ensure baby gets all scheduled immunizations according to current recommendations
- Skip monitors or devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS
- Avoid commercial products, such as wedges or positioners, which are inconsistent with safe sleep recommendations. These have not been proven safe and create hazards for baby
- Provide “tummy time” when your baby is awake and supervised by an adult
