Your Health Blog

Keeping your baby safe is a top priority for parents. Here are some guidelines to help you maintain baby’s safety at night and during nap times.

• Babies should sleep alone in a crib, portable crib, or bassinet. Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission for information on safety-approved sleep spaces.
• The crib can be close to the parent’s bed, but the baby must not share the bed or any other sleep surface with anyone at any time.
• Babies should not sleep or nap on a sofa, chair, cushion or waterbed. Do not use inclined sleepers or let babies sleep in car seats or infant swings (except while riding in a car).
• Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet. No pillows, blankets, comforters, stuffed animals or other soft things should be in the crib, portable crib, or bassinet.
•  Always put babies on their backs to sleep, even when they can roll over.
•  Keep baby’s face and head uncovered during sleep for easy breathing.
•  Do not overheat the baby. Dress the baby in as much or as little clothing as you are wearing. Keep the baby’s room at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult. A wearable blanket is a great option.
• Breastfeeding is recommended to reduce the risk for Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome, or SUIDS. Do not allow anyone to smoke around the baby.
• Pacifiers can reduce the risk for SUIDS. Use a pacifier after breastfeeding is well-established, which takes about 2 weeks.

 For more information on Safe Sleep, please visit www.deaconess.com/safesleep