4 Tips To Keep Your Baby Sleeping Safely All Night

Are you worried about how to safely help your baby sleep? There are many things that people are warned to worry about during a baby's sleep, and it can be challenging to wade through all of the information and find what feels right and works for your family. Some basic sleep safety for your baby should be followed, but options within those guidelines can make it easier for both of you. This begins with selecting how the baby will be dressed, where they will sleep, and what they will sleep in.

How to dress a baby for sleep is one of the most common conversations, and ensuring that they are dressed safely is essential. Some options are readily available and can be used safely, including a one-piece sleeper with buttons closed and a sleep sack that replaces a blanket to prevent anything from covering the face and works like a swaddle. Two-piece pyjamas-piece pyjamas as they grow, but for infants, these should be used only during the day as the shirts can pull up at night and become problematic. No blankets or pillows should be used as they may be unable to turn away from them if they get near the face. Nothing that can be easily removed, including mittens and socks, should be worn for sleeping, and no stuffed animals should be where the baby sleeps.

The conversation will always continue for this part of the topic, and there are no clear answers. Several studies have shown that there are some benefits to sleeping. In contrast, others focus on the risks, and everyone you meet will likely have an opinion on whether they are a parent, care provider, or neither. Cosleeping allows the baby to sleep in the bed with the parents, most often with the mother, so they can easily be soothed overnight. They can hear and feel their parent's heartbeat, which can help regulate their own, and for nursing moms, it is simple and easy to feed the baby and then return to sleep. The parents and their family doctor or paediatrician should make this personal decision to fit their needs.

Bassinets provide a smaller place for the baby to sleep while they are an infant and will last a few months. It provides a safe space to put the baby for a nap or to sleep overnight that can be easily kept near the bed, in the living room for leisurely naps during the day, or just a spot to safely put the baby for a few minutes while another task is completed. These are beneficial for smaller spaces and keeping the baby in the same room as their parents to sleep, which is recommended for the first year. A sidecar is a bassinet open on one side to connect to the parent's bed and provide a space for the baby to sleep safely. Due to the positioning, it offers many of the benefits of cosleeping while also giving the baby their own space to move and sleep. Each of these can serve the purpose of keeping the baby close to their parent while they sleep, which both makes it easier to respond to their needs at night and helps to reassure them of their safety through the sounds and feeling of being near their protectors and may help the whole family to sleep well.

As a baby outgrows the bassinet, or if a crib is chosen instead, there are many types and styles of cribs. It is essential to follow the instructions and guidelines and make the crib safe to use. For the first year or so of the baby's life, it is recommended that they sleep in the same room as their parents. This is so they can regulate breathing and heart rate by that of their parent, they can be quickly responded to at night, and if the baby monitor fails or power goes out, they will still be heard easily. Cribs should not have loose blankets, pillows, toys other than a safely hung mobile, stuffed animals, or other items. Crib bumpers are often used to keep tiny hands and feet from getting stuck in the slats of the crib, and they must be attached firmly with some recommending mesh rather than other bumpers so if the baby gets their face to the side, they can still breath through the mesh bumper. Ensure the crib bottom is set to the correct height and lowered as they grow and begin to stand.

There are many decisions to make when creating a safe sleep space and routine for your child, which gets easier as they grow. Once they are toddlers, they can have their pillows and blankets, a stuffed animal, and whatever pyjamas feel best, as they can move their heads and body as needed. Infants do not yet have that ability and must have a clear space with no loose blankets. After the first year, your baby can be moved to their room, and a baby monitor may be used to ensure their safety overnight and check on them as needed. Only you will be able to find the right combination for your family.