ABC’S of Safe Sleep

A L O N E – B A C K – C R I B

The safety of your child is the number one priority for any parent. From baby-proofing the house to sanitizing your child’s toys, parents work tirelessly to make sure their child is safe at home. One danger parents overlook is safe sleep. Co-sleeping, or sleeping in the same bed, with babies has risen in popularity in the United States. While this method promotes bonding between the parent(s) and baby, increases parent(s) responsiveness to their child’s needs, and helps mothers breastfeed at night, there are hidden dangers that parents are unaware of. Sharing a bed with your child puts your child at a higher risk of suffocation. Babies do not have the strength to move their head due to developing muscles in the neck. Blankets and pillows can cover the baby’s air passage during sleep and cause suffocation. Bed-sharing also puts your child at risk for suffocation due to proximity to other people. Parents or other children in the bed can unknowingly roll over onto the baby while sleeping. This can crush the baby or cause the baby to fall on the floor or get stuck between the bed and headboard. The best way for parents to protect their child while sleeping is to follow the ABC guidelines for safe sleep. Babies should always sleep alone, on their back, and in a crib. It may be concerning for some parents to be away from their young child at night. Parents following the ABC’s of safe sleep can still be close to their baby while sleeping. The crib can be placed in the same room as the parent(s) or even next to the bed. This allows the parent(s) to meet their baby’s needs and continue forming a bond. Every parent wants what is best for their child. The flood of information from family, friends, the internet, etc. can quickly lead parents down a rabbit hole of information. Parents question what formula is best, what diapers are the best, and what toys promote healthy development. When it comes to safe sleep, parents do not have to question what is best. The safest way for babies to sleep is alone, on their back, and in a crib.

contact