Colin Snow
Newborns have their own sleep schedules and tend to wake up frequently to eat, regardless of the time. The first few months of a baby's life can be challenging for parents, who often have to wake up multiple times at night to tend to their child. Ensuring a safe sleep environment is crucial to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths, such as accidental suffocation. While there are various options for newborn sleep arrangements, it is essential to prioritize safety above all else.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Safe sleep places | Cribs, playards, bassinets, and bedside sleepers |
| Safe sleep environment | Reduces the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths |
| Safe sleep positions | On their backs, not their sides or stomachs |
| Safe sleep surfaces | Firm, flat, and level |
| Safe sleep duration | First 6 months of life |
| Safe sleep location | In the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed |
| Safe sleep products | Should be approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and meet federal safety standards |
| Safe sleep practices | Avoid using rockers, car seats, carriers, or infant recliners; swaddling is recommended until the baby tries to roll over |
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What You'll Learn
Safe sleep environments
Keeping your baby safe while they sleep is a priority. Here are some safe sleep environments for newborns:
Room-sharing without bed-sharing is the safest option for newborns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep alone, on their backs, and in a separate crib or bassinet next to the adult bed. This arrangement reduces the risk of SIDS by as much as 50% compared to sharing an adult bed or sleeping in a separate room. It also makes feeding, comforting, and monitoring the baby easier.
Cribs, playards, bassinets, and bedside sleepers are all safe places for your baby to sleep, provided they meet safety standards and are used correctly. The sleep surface should be firm, flat, and level, with no extra padding, pillows, or thick quilts that could cause suffocation. The crib or bassinet should have a wide base, a snug-fitting mattress, and sides at least 15 inches high.
Swings, rockers, car seats, and slings are not recommended for unsupervised sleep. Swings and rockers can keep the baby on an incline, causing their head to slump forward and restrict breathing. Car seats are unsafe for sleeping, except for short naps during car trips. Babies who fall asleep in slings or carriers are at risk of suffocation.
Additionally, soft surfaces like couches, sofas, waterbeds, memory foam, and adult mattresses are not safe for babies to sleep on. Always follow safe sleep practices and seek guidance from reputable sources to ensure your baby's sleep environment is as safe as possible.
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Cribs, bassinets and playards
A crib is a safe space for your baby to sleep, provided it meets safety standards. The crib should have a firm, flat, and level surface, with a mattress that fits snugly and has no gaps larger than two fingers between the sides and the mattress. It should also be assembled correctly and approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Bassinets are another safe option for newborns to sleep in. They are typically smaller than cribs and can be freestanding or attached to an adult bed as a bedside sleeper. The new standard defines a bassinet as a small bed designed for infants, supported by a stationary frame or a wheeled, rocking, or swinging base. Like cribs, bassinets should only use the provided mattress pad and should not have extra padding, pillows, or thick quilts to prevent suffocation. Bassinets should not be placed near windows with blind, curtain, or baby monitor cords, as these pose a strangulation risk. Bassinets are generally only used for the first five months of a baby's life or until the child can push up on their hands and knees.
Playards, also known as playpens, pack'n plays, or portable cribs, are another safe option for newborns to sleep in. They are typically smaller and more portable than cribs and can be set up in an adult bedroom to facilitate room-sharing. Like bassinets, playards should only use the provided mattress pad without any extra padding, pillows, or quilts.
When deciding where to put your newborn to sleep, it is essential to prioritize safety. Soft surfaces, such as couches, sofas, waterbeds, memory foam, air mattresses, quilts, blankets, and sheepskins, are not safe for babies to sleep on due to the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation. Inclined surfaces, such as rockers, swings, and car seats, are also unsafe and can cause positional asphyxia. Room-sharing without bed-sharing is recommended, as it reduces the risk of SIDS, suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment.
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Rockers, slings and carriers
Baby rockers, also known as baby bouncers, are inclined baby seats with a curved base that rocks when pushed. While these products can be useful for soothing babies, they have been associated with several infant deaths and are not recommended for sleep. The incline of the rocker can restrict a baby's airway, leading to suffocation, and the curved base may cause the baby to roll into an unsafe position. The soft sides and loose bedding of some rockers also pose a risk of suffocation. As such, it is advised that babies are never left unsupervised in a baby rocker and that they are moved to a flat and empty bassinet or crib to sleep.
Baby slings and carriers, on the other hand, can be a safe and practical option for newborn sleep when used correctly. Slings provide comfort and support for the baby and allow parents to carry their child hands-free. Research has shown that carried babies sleep more and cry less due to the warmth, closeness, gentle movement, and familiar sounds and smells that a sling provides, mimicking the safe, calming environment of the womb. Using a sling can also have positive effects on the wearer's mental health, reducing stress, fatigue and insomnia. It is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions when using a sling or carrier, ensuring that the baby's size, weight and age are suitable for the product. Additionally, temperature regulation is critical, and the wearer should avoid smoking for at least an hour before and during use.
In conclusion, while baby rockers may be tempting to use for newborn sleep due to their soothing motion, they pose a significant safety risk and should be avoided. Instead, baby slings and carriers can be a safe and practical alternative, promoting better sleep and development for the baby and improved mental health for the wearer. However, it is crucial to follow safety guidelines and manufacturer instructions when using these products to ensure the baby's comfort and security.
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Room-sharing and bed-sharing
Room-sharing is when you place your baby's crib, portable crib, play yard, or bassinet in your own bedroom instead of in a separate nursery. It is the safest option for newborns and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for the first six months of a baby's life.
Room-sharing without bed-sharing is recommended as bed-sharing can be very risky for babies in certain situations. The AAP advises that babies sleep safest alone, on their backs, and in a crib without pillows, bumper pads, and toys. 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. Studies have shown that the risk of SIDS is 67 times higher among babies who sleep on a couch. The risk is also high for babies sleeping on recliners, armchairs, cushions, beanbag chairs, and air mattresses.
If you choose to room-share, it is important to ensure that your baby's sleeping spot has a wide base so that it is not easy to knock over. It should also have a firm mattress with a snug fit, and the sides should be at least 15 inches high (measured from the mattress base). If you choose a crib, make sure it is safe and properly assembled. Cribs, playards, bassinets, and bedside sleepers are all safe places for your baby to sleep, provided they meet safety standards.
Bedside sleepers are a good option for room-sharing as they are a bassinet that can be attached to the side of an adult bed, allowing infants to sleep close by without being in the adult bed. This makes it easier to check on the baby and breastfeed during the night. If you fall asleep while feeding or comforting your baby in your bed, it is important to put them back into their own sleep area, like a bassinet, as soon as you wake up.
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Safe sleep products
The first months of a baby's life can be the hardest for parents, who often have to get up many times during the night to tend to their baby. Each baby has a different sleep pattern, and while some start to sleep through the night (5-6 hours at a time) by 2-3 months of age, others don't.
The priority for parents is to keep their baby safe, and creating a safe sleep environment can help to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths, such as accidental suffocation.
Cribs
Cribs are a safe space for your baby to sleep, but they must be assembled correctly and meet safety standards. The crib should have a firm, flat surface with a snug-fitting sheet. It should be free from any loose bedding, toys, or stuffed animals, and there should be no gaps larger than two fingers between the sides of the crib and the mattress.
Playards/Playpens
Playards, also known as playpens or portable cribs, are another safe option for newborns to sleep in. They should be set up properly according to the manufacturer's directions, and only the provided mattress pad should be used without any extra padding.
Bassinets and Cradles
Bassinets and cradles are safe for newborns to sleep in until the baby is about 5 months old or can push up on their hands and knees. They should be set up according to the manufacturer's directions, and only the provided mattress pad should be used without any extra padding. Bassinets can also be attached to the side of an adult bed, allowing infants to sleep close by without sharing the bed.
Swings
Most swings are not safe for sleeping because they keep the baby on an incline, which can cause their head to slump forward and restrict breathing. However, some swings, like the SNOO Smart Sleeper, can be used as a flat sleep surface and are, therefore, safe for infants.
Slings
Slings are a great way to keep your baby close and leave your hands free, and they can also help soothe a crying baby. However, babies who fall asleep in slings are at risk of suffocation, so it is important to move them to a flat, safe surface if they do fall asleep.
Rockers
Rockers are not a safe place for your baby to sleep as the inclined seats can put them at risk of suffocation. If your baby falls asleep in a rocker, move them to a flat, safe surface as soon as possible.
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Frequently asked questions
The safest place for a newborn to sleep is in the same room as their parents, in their own crib, bassinet, or co-sleeper. This arrangement reduces the risk of SIDS and makes feeding, comforting, and monitoring the baby easier.
Newborns should not sleep on an adult bed, couch, recliner, armchair, car seat, carrier, beanbag chair, air mattress, or any soft surface by themselves, with others, or with pets. These sleeping environments increase the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.
Safe sleep practices for newborns include placing them on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface without any loose bedding, toys, or stuffed animals. Additionally, ensure that the sleeping area has a wide base and sides that are at least 15 inches high to prevent the baby from falling.
Newborns should be allowed to sleep during the day and at night, as they do not yet have a sense of day and night. It is important to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes, and to let your baby fall asleep in their crib at night to establish a sleep association.
