Babies are just so adorable but they are at their cutest state when they’re sleeping. That’s when you just want to kiss them all over.
Your baby’s bedtime is one of the most precious moments. It’s that moment when you have to be very gentle so that your little one can sleep comfortably. Although there will be times when you just want to get it over and done with, you definitely want to make sure that your baby gets enough sleep. At the same time, you want to make sure that your baby is safe.
However, there are a couple of unsafe practices that moms do each time they put their baby to bed. You’re not aware of it but you might actually be endangering your little one.
Baby experts like Dr. Stephen H. Sheldon, DO, FAAP, member of the National Sleep Foundation board of directors, Joyce Davis, president of non-profit Keeping Babies Safe, and Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, board-certified pediatrician and author of Mama Doc Medicine: Finding Calm and Confidence in Parenting, Child Health, and Work-Life Balance, all vouch that some practices are unsafe and can be dangerous for your baby.
Here’s the list of 11 unsafe practices some moms still make when they put their baby to bed.
1. Expecting infants to sleep through the night. “It’s a misperception that babies can sleep like adults,” says Dr. Sheldon … “it isn’t until a baby is between 8 and 12 weeks that their longest sleep period will be at night”
2. Using a drop-side crib. “Drop side cribs do not meet the new standard and are therefore banned from the marketplace,” Davis explained. “Cribs prior to this date (2011) are mostly deemed unsafe.”
3. Using a supplemental mattress in a play yard. Says Davis, “Parents should only use the mattress provided by the manufacturer that is sold with the play yard … Most injuries and deaths occur due to supplemental mattresses in the play yard. NEVER purchase this product for the play yard.”
4. Ignoring the bedtime routine. Even with infants, you need to be consistent, says Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson. “… consistency is the secret sauce in sleep training and sleep support.”
5. Putting baby to bed with a bottle. Well, according to Dr. Swanson, babies rarely need to eat at night after 9 months of age anyway, so skip the bottle! … Not only do we worry about choking, we know that having a bottle in bed with a baby significantly elevates the risk for cavities as toddlers!”
6. Getting babies 3 months and older to sleep before putting them to bed. Dr. Sheldon advises parents to think of rocking or cuddling a baby to sleep the way they do their own pillow or blanket. If you wake in the middle of the night and your pillow is gone, you won’t be able to go back to sleep until you find it.
7. Using blankets, crib bumpers, etc. Dr. Swanson says save them for when baby’s older — at least 6 months or even older. “”I want parents to feel that they’ve created the safest sleeping arrangement they can; we should all feel we’ve done everything we can … That means bare and boring!”
8. Allowing newborns to sleep in a car seat. Dr. Sheldon warns that this can be a problem for the youngest babies who don’t have control over their necks. Although rare, what’s known as “neck flexion” can occur, in which a baby’s head falls forward, and their chin is on the chest. This can obstruct a baby’s breathing.
9. Following the “never wake a sleeping baby” rule. You’ve probably heard it time and again, but Dr. Sheldon says not to believe it. And while most babies will wake themselves when they’re hungry, Dr. Swanson warns that during the first two weeks of life, babies may try to sleep through feedings.
10. Letting babies get “overtired.” “Some children show fatigue not by yawning but by getting hyper and a bit wild,” warns Dr. Swanson.
11. Listening to too much outside advice. Feeling overwhelmed? That could be because you’re listening to other people instead of your gut.
It’s high time you’re aware of these unsafe practices. You want your baby to be safe and comfortable in the crib. If you need to make some changes, now is the time to do it. It’s just too dangerous to keep on doing these common practices.
When it comes to safety, you cannot take things for granted. After all, what the baby experts have to say about these common and unsafe practices are well founded.
If you want to learn more about these practices, you can read the whole article on thestir.cafemom.com. You are better off on the safe side than simply ignoring these common and unsafe practices you have been so used to doing.
Why wait before it’s too late? It’s a good thing that the article gives an in depth look into these common practices that can do more harm than good to your baby.
Do you often find yourself doing any of these unsafe practices?
