Safe sleep is perhaps one of the most important things to know about as a parent. Around 3,500 babies die in the U.S. each year due to unsafe sleep. Here are some tips for sleep safety:
– Babies under 3 months need to be wakened up every three hours to eat.
– Baby should sleep in the same bedroom as his/her mom for at least the first 6 months of life (even a year if you can handle it). This will prevent SIDS.
– Baby needs to have his/her own sleeping space. A baby who sleeps in the same bed as his/her parents have a higher risk of suffocation.
– Always place the baby on his/her back for naps and at night.
– Baby’s mattress needs to be firm and the sheets fit.
– No loose blankets should be in the crib.
– Stop swaddling the baby once he/she can roll onto his/her stomach
– Babies should not sleep with any blankets or stuffed animals.
– Crib bumpers/liners are mostly not safe and those that are breathable should be removed once the baby can stand up on his/her own.
– Make sure there are no cords that the baby can reach from the crib.
– Baby must not sleep on a car seat that is not on a base.