Recommendations for babies to sleep safely

Family and friends can get excited at the arrival of a baby, and buy or donate for them the most beautiful accessories and implements, some of traditional use and others that are authentic novelties. Maybe someone will give you a playpen, crib, or car seat.

Among the most popular seats are the inclined chairs and those nice cushions to help the baby to be almost upright. Although they are good for taking a picture or going for a walk, they are not the ideal places for children to sleep. As soon as you notice that they are about to fall asleep, get them out of the chair and take them to an appropriate place.

What is appropriate to put a baby to sleep? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents sharing a room with the baby (but not the bed) for the first six to twelve months of lifeas this is the stage in which the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is highest.

The baby must have its own bed, be it a fixed crib, portable crib or bassinet, in the parents’ room. This will make it easier for them to feed and comfort him if needed. Sharing a room is safe, but put the baby in the same bed as adults, no. This increases the risk of SIDS and other deaths related to sleeping behavior.

• Put the baby on his back to sleepnot upside down or sideways. The rate of SIDS has been greatly reduced since 1992, the year the APP began disseminating this recommendation.
• Use a flat, firm and stable mattresscovered with a well-fitting sheet that does not come loose or wrap around the baby.
• Avoid overheating. Dress the baby according to room temperature, without covering it more than necessary. See if the child is sweating or hot to the touch.

• Keep your baby away from tobacco smoke. Being a passive smoker increases the risk of SIDS.
• If the child wants the pacifier, he can sleep with it, but do not force him or put it back if he falls out while sleeping.
• Avoid cords, strings, or ribbons that could wrap around the baby’s neck, as well as objects with sharp corners or edges. Take a good look at the objects the baby reaches for while sitting or standing in the cribsuch as mobiles, decorations, paintings and curtain cords.
• Do not put anything else in the crib or bassinet. This is important. Put away stuffed toys, pillows, blankets, coverscomforters, or quilts, sheets that do not fit well and crib bumpers.

Why not put the baby to sleep in seats and cushions

Dina DiMaggio, Ph.D., of the New York Pediatric Association, warns against favorite products, such as inclined seats, positioner cushions and crib protectors. Why? Inclined chairs with a raised padded seat and soft sides should not be used as a bed, as they can cause suffocation in a baby.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a federal safety standard for baby sleep products in June 2021. It will take effect in mid-2022, to eliminate potentially dangerous products, such as inclined, travel or compact bassinets, as well as those designed for babies to share the bed with parents.

Pushchairs, also called nests and rockers, are very popular, but they are generally unregulated and have no safety standards. The CPSC states that sleeping products that tilt more than 10 degrees are not safe. Inclined chairs allow babies to sleep at an angle of up to 30 degrees. Babies can fall asleep in a chin-to-chest position, which could restrict their airway. They can also slip out of devices and get caught under them.

With sleep positioning cushions, which are sometimes shaped like donuts or horseshoes, babies can suffocate after rolling onto their stomachs, the AAP warns, because in the first few weeks they still can’t lift their heads. The soft padding can make breathing difficult if the baby’s face presses against it.

Crib bumpers were created to separate babies from railings. But they don’t pass the test either. They are dangerous due to the risk of suffocation, entrapment and strangulation. Also, older babies may use bumpers or cushions to get up and out of the crib, creating a fall hazard.

In addition to padded bumpers, there are mesh bumpers and vertical crib liners. However, these can become loose and pose a choking hazard. Also, infants can get trapped between bumpers and crib mattress.

The best safety measure is for the crib to have bars closer together, to prevent the baby’s head from getting caught between them. And if you’re worried about your child’s foot getting caught in the crib rails, Lay him down with a closed blanket or sleeping bag that is the right size for the baby.

In addition to the aforementioned regulation, which will come into force within a few months in the United States, there are projects to revise the safety standards for crib bumpers. The proposed Safe Cribs Act would make it illegal to sell, distribute, manufacture or import these products, which are slowly being withdrawn from the market.

If you have any of these devices and they are useful to you, you can use them at times, only when the baby is awake and alert. As soon as he begins to fall asleep, take him to his bed, which should be a flat, firm, clear space and safe to sleep in, whether it’s a crib, bassinet or play center. Do not put the baby in anything so soft that he sinks, or that curves or bends his body, such as a swing, a rocking chair, a hammock or any device designed for sitting. (YO)