SIDS, Sleep, and Safety

For my wife and I the first couple of months after our daughter was born we were both on edge each night.  After learning about SIDS, and hearing of accidents where parents fell asleep with their children we took every precautionary step we could to avoid any problems.  I know life is never a guarantee, but making smart decisions, especially with a new born can make all the difference.


Here is some advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics and SIDS of Illinois advise against allowing infants to sleep in the same bed as parents but offer these recommendations for safe sleeping:

•Babies should sleep alone on their backs, in cribs, bassinets or portable playpens that meet the most current safety standards.

•Do not use a drop-side crib.

•Do not use bumper pads, pillows, stuffed animals or heavy blankets in cribs. Dress babies in wearable blankets for sleep.

•Do not allow babies to sleep on couches, adult beds or waterbeds.

•Do not allow smoking near babies.

Although many in the medical community warn against bed-sharing, some supporters say there are safe ways to do it. The Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame recommends:

•Babies under 1 should not sleep with other children in the same bed.

•Adults taking sedatives, medications or other drugs, or those who are intoxicated or excessively
tired, should not bed-share with an infant.

•Long hair on the mother should be tied back to prevent entanglement around the infant's neck.

•Obese adults might not be able to bed-share.

•Bottle-fed babies should not bed-share but can sleep in their own bassinet or crib next to the mother's bed.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; SIDS of Illinois; Cribs for Kids; Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory, University of Notre Dame

Original Article Here

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Nathan says:  I hope that this article was helpful, and that you will share some of your own safety tips for newborns and sleep.

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