Ashwin Lewis
Newborns sleep around the clock, waking up every few hours to feed. They don't have a sense of day and night, so it may take a few weeks for them to settle into a routine. To help them feel safe while sleeping, it's important to create a safe sleep environment. This includes using a firm, flat mattress in a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a fitted sheet and no loose blankets, pillows, or toys. It's also crucial to avoid bed-sharing and to keep the room at a comfortable temperature to prevent overheating. Room-sharing, where the baby sleeps in the same room as the parent but on a separate sleep surface, is recommended as it can help with feeding and monitoring.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Baby's sleep position | On their back |
| Sleep surface | Firm, flat, and separate from parents |
| Crib | Should be empty with no bumper pads, pillows, blankets, toys, or supplies |
| Crib mattress | Covered with a sheet that fits snugly |
| Crib location | In the same room as the parents |
| Temperature | Should be comfortable |
| Clothing | Should not be too warm |
| Pacifier | Should be offered but not forced |
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What You'll Learn
- Place your newborn on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface
- Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and avoid bundling your baby
- Use a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a fitted sheet. Avoid soft surfaces and loose items
- Room-share without bed-sharing. Keep your baby close by in a separate, safe space
- Avoid smoking around your baby and ensure they receive recommended vaccines
Place your newborn on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface
It is important to place your newborn on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface, to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing infants on their backs for sleep in their own sleep space with no other people. This recommendation has significantly reduced the rate of sleep-related infant deaths since it was first suggested in 1992.
The sleep surface should be firm and flat, such as a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a mattress and a fitted sheet. It is important to avoid soft surfaces like couches or armchairs, as well as seating devices like swings or car seats (except while riding in the car). The crib mattress should also be flat and level, as raising one end of the crib or mattress is ineffective at reducing reflux or reflux symptoms and can be dangerous.
The sleep area should be clear of any loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers, and other soft items to reduce the risk of suffocation or entrapment. The AAP also recommends that babies be placed on their backs to sleep, even if they seem less comfortable or sleep more lightly than when on their stomachs. Side sleeping is not recommended because babies can easily roll onto their stomachs, which is the position associated with the highest risk of SIDS.
It is also important to note that newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Newborns wake up every couple of hours to eat and should be fed every 2-4 hours, depending on whether they are breastfed or bottle-fed.
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Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and avoid bundling your baby
Keeping your newborn feeling safe while sleeping involves creating a safe sleep environment, which includes maintaining a comfortable room temperature and avoiding bundling your baby. Here are some detailed guidelines to achieve this:
Maintain a Comfortable Room Temperature:
- Keep the room at a temperature that feels comfortable for you. If you are comfortable, your baby will be, too.
- Avoid overheating your baby. Overheating can cause problems with your baby's ability to regulate breathing and waking up.
- Dress your baby appropriately for the room temperature. As a general rule, your baby will need one more layer of clothing than you. For example, put a onesie under their pajamas or opt for slightly warmer pajamas than you would wear.
- Watch for signs of overheating. If your baby is sweating or feels hot to the touch, they may be too warm.
Avoid Bundling Your Baby:
- Do not over-bundle your baby with excessive layers or thick clothing. This can lead to overheating.
- Instead of loose blankets, use a sleep sack or wearable blanket to keep your baby warm.
- Avoid using products that claim to reduce the risk of SUIDS (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome), such as wedges or baby positioners. These products have not been proven effective and may create an unsafe sleep environment.
By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that your newborn feels safe and comfortable while sleeping, reducing the risk of overheating and creating a safer sleep environment. Remember, a comfortable and safe sleep environment is essential for your baby's well-being.
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Use a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a fitted sheet. Avoid soft surfaces and loose items
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing. Room-sharing is when your baby sleeps in your room, on a separate, safe surface, such as a crib, bassinet or portable play yard. Bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and other sleep-related deaths.
When using a crib, bassinet or portable play yard, it is important to use a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. The crib should be empty with no bumper pads, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, toys or supplies. A fitted sheet that fits snugly over the mattress is recommended. Soft surfaces, like couches, sofas, waterbeds, memory foam, air or pillow-top adult mattresses, quilts, blankets, and sheepskins are not safe for babies to sleep on.
Loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items should be kept out of the sleep space. The sleep area should be kept at a comfortable temperature to avoid overheating the baby.
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Room-share without bed-sharing. Keep your baby close by in a separate, safe space
Room-sharing is when you place your baby's crib or bassinet in your bedroom instead of in a separate nursery. This practice is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as it keeps the baby nearby and helps with feeding, comforting, and monitoring at night.
The AAP recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing. While room-sharing is considered safe, putting your infant to sleep in the same bed as you is not. Bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and other sleep-related deaths. Babies who room-share are more likely to end up in their parents' bed during the night, and this risk increases the longer the baby shares a room with their parents. Additionally, bed-sharing increases the risk of suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment.
To ensure your baby's safety, always place them on their back to sleep on a firm, flat surface with a tight-fitting sheet. The sleep surface should be clear of any loose blankets, pillows, soft toys, or other items. It is also important to keep your baby away from smokers, as second-hand smoke increases the risk of SIDS.
If you are considering transitioning your baby to their own room, it is important to do so gradually. Start by moving the bassinet into the nursery for a few nights, keeping all other conditions the same. Then, after a few nights, move your baby to a crib in the nursery. Each night, try to get longer stretches of sleep in the crib. It is also helpful to practice at least one nap a day in the nursery and to do daily routines like diaper changes and getting dressed in the room to make the environment more familiar.
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Avoid smoking around your baby and ensure they receive recommended vaccines
It is crucial to keep your newborn safe from cigarette smoke. Research shows that smoking around newborns can cause severe health problems. Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds of toxic chemicals, and about 70 of those chemicals can cause cancer. The chemicals in secondhand smoke can affect babies' brains and their breathing, and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increases if a parent who smokes shares a bed with their baby. Therefore, it is best to ban smoking inside the house and the car. If you or someone else in the household is unable to quit smoking, at least ensure that they do not smoke near the baby or inside the house or car.
Vaccinating your baby is also essential to keeping them safe and healthy. By following the recommended schedule and fully immunizing your child by age two, your baby will be protected against several harmful diseases. The CDC recommends vaccinating your baby against rotavirus, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and COVID-19. The MMR vaccine, which prevents measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles), is also crucial as these diseases are highly contagious and can be serious.
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Frequently asked questions
The ideal room temperature for a newborn baby is 16 to 20 degrees Celsius. If the room is very warm, your baby may not need any bedclothes other than a sheet.
Safe sleep practices to prevent SUID include room-sharing without bed-sharing, placing your baby on their back to sleep, and using a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet. It is also important to keep loose items like blankets, pillows, and toys out of the sleep space to reduce the risk of suffocation.
To create a safe sleep environment, ensure that all sleep products have been approved by the relevant safety standards organizations, such as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Avoid using soft bedding, comforters, or loose items in the crib, as they can pose a risk of suffocation.
Newborn babies typically need 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period. They wake up frequently to feed, regardless of the time of day or night, as their tiny stomachs cannot hold enough breast milk or formula.
When room-sharing with your newborn, keep the lights low and avoid playing or talking with them during middle-of-the-night feedings. Let your baby fall asleep in their crib to establish a sleep association. Additionally, ensure that your baby sleeps on a separate, firm, and flat surface, such as a bassinet or crib, placed next to your bed for easy access and monitoring.
