The No-cry Sleep Solution (16 page)

Authors: Elizabeth Pantley

Do a Safety Check

• Never leave a baby unattended while in a stroller, baby seat, swing, or car seat.

• Never leave a pet with access to a sleeping baby.

• Learn how to perform infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Be sure that all other caregivers for your baby are also trained in infant CPR.

• Keep your baby’s environment clean. Wash bedding often.

Wash your hands after diapering your baby and before feeding. Wash Baby’s hands and face frequently.

• Breastfeed your baby whenever possible. Breast milk decreases the risk of certain illnesses and infections, which, in turn, can decrease the risk of SIDS and other health problems.

• Pay attention to your own health and well-being. If you have feelings of anxiety, panic, confusion, sadness, regret, irri-tability, or hopelessness, you may be suffering from postpar-tum depression. Please see your doctor and explain your symptoms. This condition is common, and treatment is

available.

General Safety Precautions for

Cradles and Cribs

• Make certain your baby’s crib meets all federal safety regulations, voluntary industry standards, and guidelines of the CPSC’s most recent recommendations (cpsc.gov). Look for a safety certification seal. Avoid using an old or used crib or cradle.

• Make sure the mattress fits tightly to the crib or cradle, without gaps on any side. (If you can fit more than two fingers between the mattress and side of the crib or cradle, the mattress does not fit properly.)

The No-Cry Sleep Solution

• Make certain that your crib sheets fit securely and cannot be pulled loose by your baby, which may create a dangerous tangle of fabric. Do not use plastic mattress covers or any plastic bags near the crib.

• Remove any decorative ribbons, bows, or strings. If you use bumper pads, make certain they surround the entire crib and that they are secured in many places—at a minimum, at each corner and in the middle of each side. Tie securely, and cut off dangling string ties.

• Remove bumper pads before your baby is old enough to get up on his hands and knees. If your baby can pull himself to stand, make sure the mattress is on the lowest possible setting. Also, inspect the area around the crib to make sure no dangers await him if he does climb out of the crib.

• Be certain that all screws, bolts, springs, and other hardware and attachments are tightly secured, and check them from time to time. Replace any broken or missing pieces immediately. (Contact the manufacturer for replacement parts.) Make sure your crib or cradle has a sturdy bottom and wide, stable base so that it does not wobble or tilt when your baby moves around. Check to see that all slats are in place, firm, and stable—and that they are spaced no more than 23⁄8

inches (60 millimeters) apart.

• Corner posts should not extend more than 1⁄16 inch (11⁄2 millimeters) above the top of the end panel. Don’t use a crib that has decorative knobs on the corner posts or headboard and footboard designs that present a hazard, such as sharp edges, points, or pieces that can be loosened or removed.

Always raise the side rail and lock it into position. Make sure your baby cannot operate the drop-side latches.

• Don’t hang objects over a sleeping or unattended baby—that includes mobiles and other crib toys. There is a risk of the toy falling on your baby or of your baby reaching up and pulling the toy down into the crib.

Do a Safety Check

• If you are using a portable crib, make sure the locking devices are properly and securely locked.

• Make sure your baby is within hearing distance of your bed or that you have a reliable baby monitor turned on.

• Check the manufacturer’s instructions on suggested size and weight limits for any cradle, bassinet, or crib. If there is no tag on the crib, call or write the manufacturer for this information.

• Any crib or cradle your baby sleeps in when away from home should meet all of the above safety requirements.

General Safety Precautions for Co-Sleeping

The safety of bringing a baby into an adult bed has been the subject of much debate. All four of our babies have been welcomed into our family bed. My husband, Robert, and I have naturally allowed our children to share our bed, and our children have enjoyed sleeping in a sibling bed as well. The fact that we have religiously followed known safety recommendations for sharing sleep with our babies is of the utmost importance.

However, in the interest of keeping you informed and present-ing a legal disclaimer, I must tell you that in 1999 the U.S. CPSC

announced a recommendation against co-sleeping with a baby younger than age two. Nevertheless, some polls show that like us, nearly 70 percent of parents do share sleep with their baby either part or all night. Most parents who
do
choose to co-sleep are avidly committed to the practice, and they find many benefits to sleeping with their babies.

The CPSC’s warning is controversial and has stirred heated debate among parents, doctors, and childhood development experts about the accuracy and appropriateness of the recommendation, and many experts believe that the issue demands more research. In the meantime, it is very important that you investi-

The No-Cry Sleep Solution

gate all the viewpoints and make the right decision for your family. Even if you decide that you feel uncomfortable sleeping with your infant, you can look forward to sharing sleep with your older baby if that suits your family.

The following safety list and references to co-sleeping are not intended to be construed as permission but are provided as information for those parents who have researched this issue and have made an informed choice to co-sleep with their baby.

Wherever you choose to have your baby sleep, it is important to take safety precautions. If your baby sleeps with you, either for naps or at nighttime, you should adhere to the following safety guidelines:

• Your bed must be absolutely safe for your baby. The best choice is to place the mattress on the floor, making sure there are no crevices that your baby can become wedged in. Make certain your mattress is flat, firm, and smooth. Do not allow your baby to sleep on a soft surface such as a water bed, sofa, pillow-top mattress, or any other flexible surface.

• Make certain that your fitted sheets stay secure and cannot be pulled loose.

• If your bed is raised off the floor, use mesh guardrails to prevent Baby from rolling off the bed, and be especially careful that there is no space between the mattress and headboard or footboard. (Some guardrails designed for older children are not safe for babies because they have spaces that could entrap them.)

• If your bed is placed against a wall or other furniture, check every night to be sure there is no space between the mattress and wall or furniture where Baby could become stuck.

• Infants should be placed between their mother and the wall or guardrail. Fathers, siblings, grandparents, and baby-sitters don’t have the same instinctual awareness of a baby’s loca-tion as mothers do. Mothers, pay attention to your own sen-

Do a Safety Check

sitivity to Baby. Your little one should be able to awaken you with minimum movement or noise—often even a sniff or

snort is enough to wake a baby’s mother. If you find that you are such a deep sleeper and you only wake up when your baby lets out a loud cry, you should seriously consider moving Baby out of your bed, perhaps into a cradle or crib near your bedside.

• Use a large mattress to provide ample room for everyone’s movement.

• Consider a sidecar arrangement in which Baby’s crib or cradle sits directly beside the main bed as one option.

• Make certain that the room your baby sleeps in, and any room he might have access to, is child-safe. (Imagine your baby crawling out of bed to explore the house as you sleep.

Even if he has not done this—yet—you can be certain he eventually will!)

• Do not ever sleep with your baby if you have been drinking alcohol, have used any drugs or medications, are an especially sound sleeper, or are suffering from sleep deprivation and find it difficult to awaken.

• Do not sleep with your baby if you are a large person, as a parent’s excess weight has been determined to pose a risk to Baby in a co-sleeping situation. While I cannot give you a specific parent’s weight to Baby ratio, you can examine how you and Baby settle in next to each other. If Baby rolls toward you, if there is a large dip in the mattress, or if you suspect any other dangerous situations, play it safe and move Baby to a bedside crib or cradle.

• Remove all pillows and blankets during the early months.

Use extreme caution when adding pillows or blankets as your baby gets older. Dress Baby and yourself warmly. (A tip for breastfeeding moms: wear an old turtleneck or T-shirt, cut up the middle to the neckline, as an undershirt for extra warmth.) Keep in mind that body heat will add warmth dur-