How to Create a Safer Sleep Environment for Your Baby
Creating a safer sleeping environment for your baby can greatly decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). From using a bedside bassinet to using sleep sacks instead of blankets, these tips can help you set up a safer sleeping environment.
Room Sharing with a Bassinet
The best way to share a room with your infant is by using a bassinet. Using a bassinet that vibrates can help your baby relax and fall back to sleep after a late-night feeding. A bassinet that swivels to rest over your bed can help you stay close to your baby while maintaining safe sleep practices. Make sure to use a firm mattress in the bassinet, and always place babies on their back until they are able to roll over by themselves. Co-sleeping or bed-sharing is one of the biggest threats for infants up to 4 months old. Keep your baby close but in a separate sleeping area.
No Loose Blankets
Loose blankets can be a SIDS risk. Instead, to keep your baby warm, use a sleep sack. This is essentially a wearable blanket. For younger babies, use a swaddle sack or blanket swaddled tightly as loose blankets can potentially harm your baby.
Also be sure your baby isn’t too warm. Keep the temperature of the room between 68 and 72 degrees, and use layers to keep your baby warm. Touch the back of their neck; if the back of their neck feels warm, they are probably too hot.
Cribs for Infants
When it comes time to switch from a bassinet to a crib, you want to make sure the crib has high walls. This helps ensure your baby does not climb or fall out of the crib. Do not use a crib that is more than 10 years old. Often the more recent, the better. Either way, make sure the crib conforms to safety standards, and use a firm mattress. A tight crib sheet can be used, as well. There should be nothing in the crib with your baby. This includes loose blankets, toys, bumpers, and pillows, as these can all be suffocation hazards. After 1 month, babies that are breastfeeding can often be offered a pacifier. It’s always best to go with your pediatrician’s advice.
Moving to a Nursery
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping your baby in your room for at least 6 months and up to a year. A good sign they may be ready to move to their own room is that they can roll from their tummy to their back without your help. You will want blackout curtains and a white noise machine to help your baby fall asleep. A sleep routine will also help. Be consistent, following a routine such as taking a bath, getting in pajamas, putting on the sleep sack, reading a short book, softly singing a song, and putting your baby in their crib or bassinet. You can practice with at least one nap a day in the nursery before fully transitioning. Play in the nursery and do diaper changes there to make the room a familiar place.
About HALO® Sleep
HALO® Sleep is revolutionizing infant and toddler products to create a safer environment for children. It began as an effort to innovate a safe, comfortable bassinet for new infants to sleep in. HALO® Sleep has since become one of the most well-known and trusted brands on the market for baby sleep products, including their swaddles, twin bassinet, and the best-selling HALO® SleepSack®, the original safe, wearable blanket. Working with the leading infant health and safety organizations, HALO® Sleep works to promote infant safety education. A portion of all of their proceeds helps in this endeavor.
Learn more about safe sleep practices and browse HALO® Sleep products at Halosleep.com
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| Bedside Bassinet |
Room Sharing with a Bassinet
The best way to share a room with your infant is by using a bassinet. Using a bassinet that vibrates can help your baby relax and fall back to sleep after a late-night feeding. A bassinet that swivels to rest over your bed can help you stay close to your baby while maintaining safe sleep practices. Make sure to use a firm mattress in the bassinet, and always place babies on their back until they are able to roll over by themselves. Co-sleeping or bed-sharing is one of the biggest threats for infants up to 4 months old. Keep your baby close but in a separate sleeping area.
No Loose Blankets
Loose blankets can be a SIDS risk. Instead, to keep your baby warm, use a sleep sack. This is essentially a wearable blanket. For younger babies, use a swaddle sack or blanket swaddled tightly as loose blankets can potentially harm your baby.
Also be sure your baby isn’t too warm. Keep the temperature of the room between 68 and 72 degrees, and use layers to keep your baby warm. Touch the back of their neck; if the back of their neck feels warm, they are probably too hot.
Cribs for Infants
When it comes time to switch from a bassinet to a crib, you want to make sure the crib has high walls. This helps ensure your baby does not climb or fall out of the crib. Do not use a crib that is more than 10 years old. Often the more recent, the better. Either way, make sure the crib conforms to safety standards, and use a firm mattress. A tight crib sheet can be used, as well. There should be nothing in the crib with your baby. This includes loose blankets, toys, bumpers, and pillows, as these can all be suffocation hazards. After 1 month, babies that are breastfeeding can often be offered a pacifier. It’s always best to go with your pediatrician’s advice.
Moving to a Nursery
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping your baby in your room for at least 6 months and up to a year. A good sign they may be ready to move to their own room is that they can roll from their tummy to their back without your help. You will want blackout curtains and a white noise machine to help your baby fall asleep. A sleep routine will also help. Be consistent, following a routine such as taking a bath, getting in pajamas, putting on the sleep sack, reading a short book, softly singing a song, and putting your baby in their crib or bassinet. You can practice with at least one nap a day in the nursery before fully transitioning. Play in the nursery and do diaper changes there to make the room a familiar place.
About HALO® Sleep
HALO® Sleep is revolutionizing infant and toddler products to create a safer environment for children. It began as an effort to innovate a safe, comfortable bassinet for new infants to sleep in. HALO® Sleep has since become one of the most well-known and trusted brands on the market for baby sleep products, including their swaddles, twin bassinet, and the best-selling HALO® SleepSack®, the original safe, wearable blanket. Working with the leading infant health and safety organizations, HALO® Sleep works to promote infant safety education. A portion of all of their proceeds helps in this endeavor.
Learn more about safe sleep practices and browse HALO® Sleep products at Halosleep.com
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