Safer Sleep For Babies + My Safer Sleep Product Recommendations

Safer Sleep For Babies + My Safer Sleep Product Recommendations

This week is Safer Sleep Week 2016 so I want to highlight some important information from The Lullaby Trust about how to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Babies sleep a lot during the early stages of their lives and it’s important to ensure that they are sleeping as safely as possible to reduce the risk of SIDS and there are a lot of things parents can do to help.

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby where no cause is found.  Though it is very rare, it can still happen and there are steps parents can take to help reduce the chance of this tragedy occurring.

Here are some quick tips for safer sleep from The Lullaby Trust‘s website:

“We are still struggling to understand the mechanisms that cause unexplained deaths in infancy, therefore it is not possible for any manufacturer to say that a particular product will prevent SIDS. It is possible, however, to significantly lower the chances of it happening by following this safer sleep guidance.  This advice is based on strong scientific evidence where, unlike many products, safety has been proven. You should try to follow the advice for all sleep periods where possible, not just at night.”

THINGS YOU CAN DO:

• Always place your baby on their back to sleep
• Keep your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth
• Place your baby to sleep in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for the first 6 months
• Breastfeed your baby
• Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition
• To avoid accidents remove all pillows, soft bedding, cot bumpers and soft toys from the cot

THINGS TO AVOID:

• Never sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby
• Don’t sleep in the same bed as your baby if you smoke, drink or take drugs or are extremely tired, if your baby was born prematurely or was of low birth-weight
• Avoid letting your baby get too hot
• Don’t cover your baby’s face or head while sleeping or use loose bedding

Check out the infographic above for some interesting statistics (full size here) and watch the video below for a great summary of the tips. For more in-depth information, please visit The Lullaby Trust‘s website.

My Safer Sleep Product Recommendations

There are some products that I find great and very helpful for ensuring my children are safe when they sleep and they include the items below.

1. A new firm mattress for each baby. A new mattress is the safest option and I will get a new one for our cot when it’s time for Baby No. 2 to use it. Remember to replace mattresses in your crib and Moses basket too, if you have them. This one is from The Little Green Sheep who make organic mattresses and bedding for babies and children.
2. Baby sleeping bags. Loose bedding is one of the risk factors so I like to use sleeping bags for my children for as long as possible as they’re a safer option to blankets and duvets. Our ones are Grobags from The Gro Company. With Baby No. 2, I’d really like to try their Gro Snug newborn swaddle/Grobag.
3. A good baby monitor. We have the Chicco Top Digital Video Baby Monitor, which is good but one with a movement sensor would be even more reassuring. The Angelcare AC1100 Digital Video would be even better as it combines a movement sensor pad with a video monitor.
4. A bedside crib. These ensure you can sleep close to your baby in a safe way without actually co-sleeping. They make night feeds much easier as you don’t have to get up to get your baby when he or she needs you. I haven’t got one of these but hope to use one with Baby No. 2 when she’s here. The one I’m lusting for is the SnüzPod Bedside Crib. It’s gorgeous and practical! It’s also got a shelf at the bottom where you can put any toys or extra blankets so that there are no loose items in the crib when your baby goes to sleep.
5. A room thermometer. It’s important to make sure your baby doesn’t get too hot and using a room thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature makes this much easier. The Gro-Egg Room Thermometer from The Gro Company is quick and easy to read and definitely on my wish list for Baby No. 2.

#SaferSleepWeek