One day you'll teach her to keep her distance from strangers, stay by your side in the supermarket and never leave the backyard without your permission. But now, as you leave the hospital with your new baby, your concerns are probably much closer to home. Most new parents worry about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But they may not be as aware of other sleep hazards.
Dangers of co-sleeping
Six of every 10 infant suffocations happen during sleep. Babies should not sleep on beds, sofas, chairs or other soft surfaces - alone or with a parent. Sleeping on a sofa or chair with your baby is especially dangerous. He could become wedged between you and the sofa cushions, and not be able to breathe. Experts agree that the safest place for your baby to sleep is in his own crib.
From 1984 to 2004, the number of infants who died from accidental suffocation or strangulation while sleeping in a bed quadrupled. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths once blamed on SIDS are now recognized as being caused by suffocation or other hazards related to sleeping in a bed, sofa or chair. Further, some people ignore their doctors' advice to place babies on their backs to sleep and instead put them on their stomachs. This raises the risk for SIDS, and also for suffocation.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC), a baby sleeping in a parent's bed faces these suffocation hazards:
- Getting trapped between the bed and wall
- Becoming wedged between headboards, footboards or bed frames
- Being rolled onto by a parent or sibling
- Being surrounded by soft bedding, pillows, etc.
Co-sleeping also puts your baby at risk for SIDS. Plus, he could fall, leading to serious injury or death.
SIDS
You can lower your baby's SIDS risks by:
- Putting her on her back to sleep. This is the single most important way to reduce SIDS risk.
- Putting her to sleep in her crib, on a firm mattress. Remove pillows, stuffed animals, comforters or any other soft items. Put her to bed in a blanket sleeper so she won't need covers. If she does need a light blanket, tuck it firmly into the crib mattress and keep it no higher than chest level.
- Avoiding overheating. Keep her room temperature comfortable. Dress her only as warmly as you would dress yourself.
- Offering her a pacifier. Recent studies indicate using one can reduce a baby's risk for SIDS. Offer her one, but don't reinsert it if it falls out.
- Keeping her away from secondhand smoke. It can double her SIDS risk.
A safe nursery
The CSPC advises against using secondhand cribs. Make sure your baby's crib has no missing or broken parts, that all hardware is tightened and that slat openings are no wider than 2 3/8 inches.
Other ways to keep baby's room a safer place:
- Keep objects with cords, ribbon or elastic (such as mobiles) away from the crib. Place them well out of baby's reach.
- Don't tie pacifier holders around baby's neck. Remove any bibs or necklaces before putting him down to sleep.
- Don't place baby's crib near a window. Move blinds and drapery cords where he can't reach them. Babies can strangle from becoming entangled in these cords. Replace old window coverings (made before 2001) with new ones.
Experts say that your baby is safest when she is close to you - in your room, but in her own crib, not in your bed. Following a few extra safety measures can ease your mind and help both of you sleep easier - at least between feedings.
