If you have a newborn and are wondering about safe sleep conditions then you are in the right place. Keep on reading to learn all about safe sleep practices for you and your newborn.
Where should your newborn baby sleep?
The American Academy of Pediatrics has very specific suggestions outlined on their website. Some main points include:
- Ideally they are on a firm flat surface such as a bassinet or crib
- Encourage room sharing up to six months to help reduce S.I.D.S.
- This changed in 2022 from twelve months to six months.
- No other objects such as blankets, toys, pillows, bumpers
- The AAP does not advise baby sleeping on others.
What should the temperature be and what should baby wear?
- Room temperature should be 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit
- Our bodies tend to favor colder temperatures for sleeping
- Especially for newborns who aren’t great at regulating their own body temperature
- Avoid synthetic fabrics which can trap heat and lead to overheating
- Use natural fibers like wool, cotton, and bamboo
- Newborns are growing exponentially and thus their metabolism is generating heat as a by product. Newborns tend to run warm!
- A general rule can be to dress them in one layer less than you are wearing.
- They will let you know if they are too cold through crying and a cold nose.
- The back of the neck should always be warm.
You can always check out the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about safe sleep practices.
Products That Are Not Considered Safe Sleep?
In May 2022, Biden signed a new bill preventing the sale and outlawing the manufacturing of crib bumpers and certain inclined infant sleepers. The lawmakers said the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recorded 83 crib bumper-related deaths as well as 97 fatalities due to inclined sleepers. The bill also targets products aimed at preventing babies from injuring themselves on crib slats. This includes crib bumpers, vinyl protectors or vertical crib slat covers, these are no longer approved for sale in the USA.
A number of baby product companies have issued recalls on their products in recent years due to suffocation risks. This includes Fisher Price Rock and Play and the Bobby incliner.
In June 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a statement about the Doc a Tot urging people not to use it as it violates the bill passed in May 2022 regarding safe sleep.
Why Do So Many Parents Use “Unsafe Products?”
Many parents just don’t realize the risks these products pose. Others are simply struggling with baby sleep and looking for that “quick tip” to help their little one sleep more.
Becoming a parent and having a newborn is a huge learning curve and often we try to take the path of least resistance, which may also have the least amount of tears. I’m not for tears per se, but I am all about adding tools to your parenting toolbox so you can understand why your baby is struggling with sleep and overcome the issue. Great sleep is all about being an intune sleep detective.
These are the methodologies that I teach in The Helping Babies Sleep Method. You can be loving, attached and well-rested and you don’t have to rely on unsafe baby sleep products to get you there. You can learn what your baby needs to help them sleep better without these products. We go over that step by step in our Amazon Best Selling book The Helping Babies Sleep Method; The Art and Science of Teaching Your Baby to Sleep. This is appropriate from 4 weeks to 24 months of age.
Do you have a newborn and are having a hard time? Struggling with sleep, or just wanting the very best sleep and health for your little one?
Check out our Helping Babies Sleep and Parenting School where I guide you through these first 6 months of exponential growth and change. www.helpingbabiessleepschool.com
