Infant Sleep Safety By Amanda Hanson, Psy.D.

Having a newborn addition to your family creates an increase in responsibility, decision making, and safety concerns. One area that new parents may have questions is in regard to sleeping behaviors for their infant. Safety is an important aspect to understand, and education about safety can assist in decreasing risk to your infant. The following are helpful recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding sleeping hygiene for your infant

• Babies should be placed faced up, on their backs, every time to sleep. Once an infant is able to roll from back to stomach and stomach to back, the infant is able to sleep in the position they choose. Reserve “tummy time” for day time activities and not for sleep in order to decrease risk of suffocation.
• No objects should be placed in the crib. Make sure the crib environment is free from miscellaneous items or toys. While stuffed animals may appear cute and decorative, remove them from the crib prior to sleeping.
• The mattress should fit snug in the frame, as well as the fitted sheet.
• Place the crib in a room that is smoke free.
• The offer of a pacifier has been linked to a decrease in risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• If breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is well-established before offering a pacifier.
• The infant should return to own crib or bassinet following any feeding or comforting if brought to the parents’ bed, and before the parent returns to sleep
• The temperature of the room should remain comfortable, similar to the need of a lightly clothed adult in order to avoid overheating of the infant.
• Avoid over bundling the infant which can also increase overheating.
• Never use propping up a bottle at naptime or bedtime.
• Once the child learns to sit, lower the mattress in the crib, and lower even further when they learn to stand.
• Respond to the infant’s cries during the night.

While some parents may feel that sleeping with their infant is beneficial, the act of co-sleeping is NOT recommended. Co-sleeping can increase risk of suffocation while the infant is sleeping. In order to avoid any potential accidents, co-sleeping should not be considered.
In order to promote healthy sleep for your infant at night, consider the following tips:

• Use active playtime during the day. This is when “tummy time” would be appropriate.
• Allow for skin-to-skin contact during the day.
• Attending to your infant’s cries throughout the day in order to reduce the baby’s stress.
• Consistency with meals, naps, and bedtime is beneficial.
• The implementation of a bedtime routine can assist in healthy sleep. This may be in the form of a bath, gentle massage, or quiet time. Research supports that babies with bedtime routines fall asleep 30% faster, wakes up 50% less, and sleep for longer stretches of time.
• Verbalizations, such as talking softly or singing to your infant before bed can be soothing.
• Place your child in their crib when they appear to be tired, but are still slightly awake. This transition assists them in helping them to fall asleep on their own.
• If your child appears restless, place them to bed 30 minutes earlier in order to avoid the infant becoming overly tired and attempting to fight off sleep with energy.
• The use of background noise, such as soft music, a fan, or white noise may also help, as repetitive sounds can lull them to sleep.
• Place a warm towel on your baby’s sheet and remove it before you place the child down.

 
In the event that your infant continues to struggle to fall asleep despite these healthy suggestions and tips, consider consulting with your pediatrician to discuss further.  

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