Bringing your new baby home from the hospital is hands down one of the most joyous moments of every parent’s life. As joyous as it is, it can be very intimidating having such a tiny and seemingly fragile human in your care (no matter if it’s your first baby or 3rd like in my case). For me back when I was a first-time mother, one of the most terrifying parts about caring for my newborn was making sure that Carrington was sleeping safely for every nap and at night. I remember it was so hard for me to fall into a deep sleep because I would keep checking to see if she was breathing every couple of minutes and making sure nothing was covering her face. As a new mom, you’re already not getting a lot of sleep as it is, so taking advantage of the 1-2 hours while the baby sleeps to get some rest yourself is crucial. Once I made it a priority to become more knowledgeable on safe infant sleep, I noticed that I had a lot more peace surrounding Carrington sleeping. In return, that allowed me to get more rest myself and made for a much more functional mama. More importantly, I knew I was doing everything in my power to keep my babies safe. Which is why I’m excited to partner with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health, to raise awareness about safe infant sleep and ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.
As parents, we’ve all heard of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Most of us probably know someone personally who was affected by the tragedy that is known as SIDS. If not, you’ve seen countless reports on the news about infants unfortunately passing from SIDS. With SIDS being the leading cause of death for babies between the ages 1 month and 1 years old, I wanted to make sure me and my husband are as educated as possible on safe infant sleep, as well as all our go to babysitters (grandparents and siblings). What’ the point in getting a break from the kids if you’re stuck worrying if the caregiver is taking the necessary precautions surrounding the baby sleeping?
So here’s some of the greatest takeaways from my research on safe infant sleep that I’ve shared with other parents and everyone who helps care for our precious babies as well:
• ALWAYS place baby on back to sleep. Whether it’s at night or for nap time
• Use a firm and flat sleep surface, covered with a fitted sheet, with no other bedding or soft items in the area.
• Breastfeed your baby to reduce the risk of SIDS
• Share a room with your baby, keep the baby close to your bed in a separate area designated for babies.
• Do not put soft objects such as toys, crib bumpers, loose bedding under or on top of baby or anywhere in the baby’s sleep area.
• Give baby plenty of tummy time while someone is watching
• Do not let baby get too hot while sleeping, and dress baby in sleep clothing, like a wearable blanket
• Use pacifier for naps and at nighttime to reduce the risk of SIDS
Those are just a few takeaways that stood out to me. There is endless amount of information that you and your family should make yourself aware of. The NIH has a website FULL of information and resources that I highly recommend all parents and caregivers read and educate themselves on. Check it out here! Although this can be a scary matter, you’ll find numerous ways you can reduce the risk of SIDS from this information. And there is nothing more valuable than a peace of mind when you have precious babies in your care. You got this mamas!
As Always…Love you All,
Courtney N. Williams