Parents become concerned about their child's safety from day one--and it never stops, no matter how old they get. While the sweet sight of your baby sleeping peacefully and quietly feels like heaven to bleary-eyed moms and dads, sleep safety becomes of paramount importance for babies. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a major concern for parents, as babies present a risk throughout their first year of life. According to the Nemours Foundation, SIDS remains the primary reason for death in babies between the ages of one month and one year. Although SIDS is still rare--only affecting 2,500 babies each year--that's still a terrifying threat for parents. Creating a sleep safe environment can drastically reduce your baby's risk of SIDS and other injuries.
Sleep Positioning
A baby's sleep position proves one of the most important elements of baby sleep safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends only putting a baby down to sleep on her back--never on the tummy, and not on the side. Sleeping on the back proves one of the greatest steps parents can take in SIDS prevention, so make sure baby takes all naps and sleeps at bedtime on her back.
Sleep Location
It's best for baby to remain close to you in the early months of life. The AAP recommends that babies sleep in the same room as their parents, but not in your bed. Choose a bassinet, crib, cradle or other safe, approved baby-sleeping device with a firm mattress, and place it in your room close to your bed so you can keep a close eye (and ear) on your little one. Don't let baby sleep on a couch, pillow or bed where he could suffocate or roll off.
Sleep Accessories
Cute stuffed animals, decorative bumpers, plush pillows and fluffy blankets may look cozy, but they prove a potential safety hazard for baby. These items can pose a suffocation hazard to a young baby who can't pull them off of her face when she has trouble breathing, says the AAP. Skip bumpers in your crib or cradle, and make sure that no cords or strings remain in or near the bed that could strangle baby. If you need to use a blanket, make sure to securely tuck it beneath the mattress, so that your baby can't pull it out. The AAP recommends wearable blankets to keep baby warm without suffocation risks.
Temperature
Baby's sleep environment needs to remain at just the right temperature to keep her comfortable. Being too warm proves another risk factor for SIDS, so the AAP suggests keeping baby in light pajamas when she's in bed. You should also make sure that the room remains at a pleasant temperature while wearing light clothing, so that it's not too cold, but not too warm. Just make sure that your baby doesn't overheat while she sleeps.
Use of Pacifiers
A pacifier not only proves soothing for baby--satisfying that natural urge to suck--but it also provides a way to help reduce SIDS risk, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Offer baby a pacifier when he lies down for bed or a nap, but make sure that it's dry and clean. Breast-fed babies shouldn't be offered a pacifier until they are at least 1 month old.
