The No-cry Sleep Solution (15 page)

• Although various products are available to keep a baby in the back-sleeping position, their safety has not been tested, and at this time they are not recommended. At this writing, several sleep wraps have been designed to hold a baby swaddled in a back-sleeping position and they are just becoming available. Ask your doctor or hospital about any new

inventions.

• Finally, if you still choose to have your baby sleep on her tummy, or if your doctor has approved this position, make certain that the mattress is even, firm, and flat, and that every

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The No-Cry Sleep Solution

Mother-Speak

“I’d always go in to turn Coby over, and sometimes he’d wake up, see me, and want to nurse. So I got very good at duck-ing behind his bumper and settling him through the crib slats.

It worked!”

Jennifer, mother of five-month-old Coby

time you put her to bed, the sheets are smooth and tightly secured. Also, don’t put any pillows, blankets, or toys in bed with her. If you still have concerns, ask your doctor or hospital about renting a sophisticated baby monitor so that you can keep track of sound, movement, and breathing.

Once your baby is sleeping on her back:

• Don’t let her sleep in the exact same position every night and nap. Move her head from one side to the other, and vary her position in the crib, or the placement of the crib itself, to encourage her to look in all directions. This will prevent the back of your baby’s head from becoming flat (a condition called positional plagiocephaly).

• Avoid leaving your baby lying on her back in a stroller, car seat, or swing for long periods during the day.

• Place your baby on her tummy often when she is awake to encourage head and body movement and physical development of all muscle groups.

Back Sleeping at Day Care

According to some studies, 20 percent of SIDS deaths occur in child-care settings. Not all child-care centers have policies on infant sleep positions, and even when they do, not all child-care

Do a Safety Check

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providers abide by the AAP’s recommended guidelines. It’s important for you to know that babies who are not used to sleeping on their stomachs are at a particularly high risk for SIDS if they are placed in this position for sleep. Check on the policies in your child-care center, and be sure that they are placing your baby in the proper sleep position as recommended by your doctor.

General Sleeping Safety Precautions for

All Families

• Do not allow anyone to smoke around your baby. This holds true whether your baby is asleep or awake. Babies who are exposed to smoke face an increased risk of SIDS, as well as other health complications, such as asthma.

• If your child spends time with a child-care provider, baby-sitter, grandparent, or anyone else, insist that safety guidelines are followed in that environment also.

• Keep your baby warm, but not
too
warm. Keep the bedroom at a comfortable sleeping temperature, usually between 65°F

and 72°F (18°C to 22°C). Be careful not to overheat your baby. If your newborn comes home from the hospital wearing a hat, ask your doctor if he should wear it to sleep and for how long. A hat could contribute to overheating.

• Do not use blankets or comforters under or over the baby.

They can entangle your baby or become a suffocation hazard. Instead, when the temperature warrants, dress your baby in warm sleeper pajamas layered with an undershirt.

• Dress your baby in flame-resistant and snug-fitting sleepwear, not oversized, loose-fitting cotton or cotton-blend clothing.

Billowy or cotton fabrics pose a burn hazard in case of fire or even with a close encounter with your stove or fireplace.

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The No-Cry Sleep Solution

• Do not allow your baby to sleep on a soft sleeping surface such as a pillow, sofa, water bed, beanbag chair, pillow-top mattress, foam pad, sheepskin, feather bed, or any other soft and flexible surface. Baby should sleep only on a firm, flat mattress, with a smooth, wrinkle-free sheet that stays securely fastened around the mattress.

• Do not leave stuffed toys or pillows in bed with your baby.

You may leave a small, safe “lovey” as described on pages 117–119 with a baby more than four months old who can roll over and lift and move his head easily.

• Keep night-lights, lamps, and all electrical items away from where Baby sleeps.

• Make sure you have a working smoke detector in Baby’s sleeping room, and check it as often as the manufacturer suggests.

• Do not put a baby to sleep near a window, window blinds, cords, or draperies.

• If your baby is sick or feverish, call your doctor or hospital promptly.

• Keep your baby’s regular appointments for well-baby checkups.

• Never shake or hit your baby. (The National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research concluded that infant abuse often occurs when a parent is sleep-deprived and at the end of his or her rope. If you feel like you may lose your temper with your baby, put her in a safe place or with another caregiver, and go take a breather.)

• Never tie a pacifier to your baby with a string, ribbon, or cord, as any of these can become wound around your baby’s finger, hand, or neck.

• Follow all safety precautions when your baby is sleeping away from home, whether in a car seat, stroller, or unfamiliar place. Take extra time and care to create a safe sleeping place for your baby, no matter where you are.