New parents typically have one thing on their mind when having a baby – to do everything right. The goal is to love, nurture, and protect that child since he or she is 100% helpless. You will be provided by good advice (in most cases) from families and friends, and will have the chance to read books or watch videos. However, we also wanted to provide you with a few important safety tips.
First, make sure your child is placed on his/her back to sleep. While it was at one-time customary for a baby to be placed on the stomach, new research now shows a strong link between this and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, due to the child’s airway becoming blocked. Therefore, talk to your pediatrician but we strongly recommend you check out the American Academy of Pediatrics website for more information on this issue (www.aap.org). You also want to notify anyone caring for your baby about the proper sleeping technique, which would include family, friends, and babysitters.
Then, make sure your baby crib mattress is firm and that the bed is void of any bumpers, comforters, pillows, and stuffed animals, which again can cause a child to suffocate. The same problem exists for SIDS with a soft mattress in that the baby’s face can become buried. Not having the muscle strength to turn the head, disaster happens. Therefore, while you might purchase something else on the low-end, make sure the mattress is top quality.
Even if the temperature outside is cold, do not cover the baby with a heavy comforter or blanket. Instead, use a sleeper suit made of fleece, flannel, or another warm material. During the days when your baby is small, you may want to increase the overall heat in the home. That does not mean it has to be stifling, but comfortable for a newborn. Although you want the baby to be warm, not too warm so avoid extra layers. Finally, make sure that no person smokes around your child. Study after study shows that secondhand smoke is almost as dangerous as firsthand smoke, especially to a tiny newborn.