Baby Sleep Safety – Reducing the Risk of SIDS

But the simple fact is that over 2,500 babies die in the US each year from SIDS. Although the number of deaths have been lowered by around 40% by taking several preventative approaches and incorporating baby sleep safety methods to safe guard children from SIDS, there is no known way to fully avoid the occurrence of SIDS.

Baby Sleep Safety Tips

Here are some tips that can help to reduce the risk of SIDS:

*Lay baby on his or her back. SIDS has been closely linked to children sleeping on their tummies.

*Use a firm mattress. Avoid fluffy toys or pillows that may cause suffocation.

*Don’t let baby get over heated during the night. Babies have a higher body temperature than we do and don’t require as many blankets – Don’t let baby freeze either though!

*Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs before or after baby’s birth. Cigarette smoke is a known contributor to SIDS.

*Participate in early and parental care clinics, especially if you are a first time parent.

*Breast feed baby if at all possible. Babies that are breast-fed are statistically less likely to die from SIDS.

*Offer your baby a pacifier during the first year of life. It is not known why but babies that are given pacifiers in the early stages of life are less likely to be claimed by SIDS.

*Don’t sleep with baby in the same bed or let baby sleep in an adult bed. The baby has a greater risk of suffocation when in a bed designed for an adult. It is ok to comfort and feed baby in bed as long as he or she is returned to his or her proper bed afterward.

SIDS is unlike any other syndrome or disease. Most conditions surrounding an infant’s death are diagnosed by the symptoms associated with the death. SIDS on the other hand is only given as a diagnosis once all other possibilities are ruled out.

Risk Factors

There are several specific risk factors or notable trends that can be seen in data relating to SIDS. These risks should be addressed and noted by parents that have babies in a high-risk category.

*More boys than girls die from SIDS. There is not much that can be done about this statistic, it is more of
a notation.

*Smoking, drinking alcohol and drug use are believed to be among the main contributing factors to SIDS. Simply put, if you value the life of your child, refrain from using harmful drugs such as these!

*Poor parental care. Inexperienced or young parents are the highest risk. As long as a parent takes the time to get early and regular parental care checks and have the support of family and friends, there is much less risk of this occurring.

*Premature babies are at a high risk of SIDS. Premature babies are born with a disadvantage to begin with and are usually very weak and under developed. This is more a notation than a prevention.

*Mothers who are younger that 20 are at risk of having a baby die from SIDS. This can be for a variety of reasons such as inexperience or unintentional neglect.

By using the above tips and making yourself aware of the risk factors and taking baby sleep safety precautions you can reduce the likelihood of losing a child to SIDS. For parents who have lost a child to SIDS there are many wonderful support groups available to help go through the grieving process.

Chris Towland

If your baby is having sleep problems then take a look at The Baby Sleep Solution audio program. It’s the quickest way to solve your baby sleep problem – guaranteed! Take a look now at:   http://scrnch.me/m2q6d

I thank you for taking the time to read this short report
JanuszJanulis
© 2003-2009 World Marketing Media, Inc.
http://scrnch.me/m2q6d

Baby Sleep Help – Early Prep For Toddlerhood

You’re at your wits end, pulling out your hair, yawning all the time, and your eye lids feel the weight of the world.   Instead of consistent sleep you are getting a couple of hours here and there because your baby cries for you throughout the night. You know you are not alone and you know this is all a part of parenting but what can you do to stop the interference of your sleep?  How can you get your baby to sleep at night and through the night? Baby sleep help is a common need for new parents whose baby is out of the nightly feeding stage.

Put this baby sleep help into action tonight, but it is important to remember that consistency is what will solidify your child’s nightly sleep pattern, and will be especially beneficial for you and your baby when they reach toddlerhood and preschooler years. Start early training for an independently sleeping toddler and preschooler by training your baby from now using the following tools.

A Solid, Warm, Cuddly Routine

As you may know by now babies feel more stable when they can get idea of what to expect next, which is why throughout the day it is preferred for many things to be handled on a routine basis. Getting your baby to sleep at night and throughout the night is no different.

-    Choose your baby’s bedtime and begin the routine no later than 45 minutes before hand.  Adjust the time if you need to but there should not be a lot of time in between each piece of the routine.  It should flow together one after the other.

-    Calm, Cozy, quiet atmosphere.  Turn the lights down and keep the noise down to a bare minimum.

-    Consider a baby massage as opposed to a bath. It offers health benefits, takes less time and effort, and is much more relaxing to you and your baby.  Use this time to chat to your baby about the day and what exciting things they can expect tomorrow. Soft music and dim lights for a cozy atmosphere. No TV, no disruptions. All your attention should be focused on your baby.

-    Consider taking your baby directly to his room after his bath or baby massage, put him in his bed, and read him a story and sing a song (a relaxing tune).

It is here that common mistakes are made that can start bad habits causing sleep interruptions and major toddler and preschooler sleep problems.

If you rock your baby to sleep at night you are starting a pattern in which you nor your baby will be able to break, and you will find within a short time your baby cannot sleep without being rocked.  He will wake up frequently, which is normal but he will need you to rock him back to sleep.  This can go on and on unless you fix the problem. Do you have time as a parent and professional to undo things?  Isn’t it better to simply not let bad habits start?  Of course!

Skip the rocking altogether and replace it with a bedtime story and songs in his comfy cozy room. This doesn’t mean that you should never rock your baby.  Rocking is enjoyed much by parent and child and of course is a wonderful time.  You can rock with a story or songs during the day, morning, or early evening, well before bedtime.  Just don’t let it become a bedtime ritual that will later come to haunt you.

Bedroom Enhancements

Your baby’s room should be ready in advance with a cozy, soft atmosphere.

-    A very soft night light so baby is not alone in the dark and can see the lovely things around him in his room.

-    My personal idea for a night light is a fish tank that your baby can see from his crib.

-    Soft music.  If you can find something from his favorite baby show or cartoon it’s preferred,  but it should be soft, low key music.

-    Leave your baby’s room door open when you leave the room and always tell him you love him and will check on him later.  This is a phrase your baby should become familiar with by toddlerhood.

Give Baby Chances

Baby sleep help requires that you always give your baby a chance to fall asleep on his own.  If he cries the minute you leave the room, give him a few minutes before you go rushing back in.  Often times he will fall asleep on his own and this is good because it is preparing him for toddlerhood to be an independent sleeper which is what every parent wants! When you do enter his room adhere to the following:

-    Do not talk to your baby

-    Pat him on the back or stroke his head for a several seconds only (this is done to let your baby know that you are still around and have not completely left him).

-    Leave the room again and continue this process as needed, each time leaving a two minute gap in between the time you leave and re-enter the room. Add one minute more to each gap.

Nine out of ten times your baby will fall asleep before you need to go in for the second time. When he doesn’t make sure he is okay with diaper wetness and that he is not ill.  Otherwise, expect him to test your patience.  It is then your responsibility to help him out and hold strong to the routine of the two minute gaps.

No matter how dreaded it seems to listen to your baby cry for a few minutes, rest assured it will not hurt him and what you are dreading now is nothing to what you will dread a short time later when they are in toddlerhood and can’t sleep independently.  If you begin doing this early, you will be doing yourself and baby a huge favor.  Toddler and preschooler sleep help is much more dreaded because your baby is older and can walk and talk, adding more complications to parents when their toddler has a tantrum at bedtimes and won’t sleep through the nights.  Lack of sleep for you and your toddler massively disrupts many things including your child’s learning abilities in school and their behavior throughout the day. A child with solid sleeping habits is a better behaved child with a better attention span and should be a part of your child’s healthy lifestyle.

Daytime Prep

There are things you can do during  the day toward baby sleep help.  These things will help with your baby sleeping through the night.

- Do not give foods that increase energy before bedtime.

- Your baby should have a nap daily.

- You should be supplying your baby a healthy diet, low in fatty foods.

- Limit television watching to half an hour a day.  You can increase this to one hour when baby gets a bit older.

- Regular daily exercise appropriate for his age.

Put your baby on a sleep routine and stick to it on a nightly basis.  Manipulate the routine to suit your child’s age as he grows into toddlerhood. Help your baby to feel comfortable and secure in his room alone at night by providing him a nightlight and soft music, and do your best to avoid starting bad habits toward future bedtimes.  With this baby sleep help you will be able to get your baby situated into a nightly routine to help you both now and in the future, and will help you avoid toddlerhood bedtime battles.

What Parents Should Know About a Baby Sleep Pattern

How is a Baby’s Sleep Pattern Different than an Adult’s?

Yes, babies sleep a lot, especially newborns. Your new baby will sleep about 16 to 18 hours a day. Unfortunately, this is not during the typical hours of 6pm and 8am. A baby’s sleep pattern is much shorter than an adult’s and this is why babies continually wake. When an adult wakes from sleep they roll over and go back to sleep, this is not so easy for a baby. A baby has not yet learned how to go back to sleep. It seems odd that this is a learned behavior, but it’s true. Until your new baby learns how to fall back to sleep, he or she will rely on you to help them get back to sleep.

A baby sleep pattern also has double the amount of light sleep cycles than an adult’s. For the sleep deprived adult desperately trying everything to lull their precious bundle to sleep, this can be excruciating. Because of the many light sleep cycles, babies wake up very easily. You’ve rocked, cuddled and finally little Jr. nods off. You slip off to the nursery and just as Jr. touches the mattress he wakes up! Back to the rocking chair! Understanding this aspect of a baby sleep pattern will at least help you keep your patience, if not anything else.

How Can I Help my Baby Sleep Better?

Naturally, as a newborn matures, so will the baby’s sleep pattern. Ideally, by the time baby reaches 7-12 weeks, a regular sleep pattern will have been established. And hopefully, this will be between the hours of 10 pm – 7 am. New parents can hang onto the hope that by the time baby is 6 months old, your baby’s sleep pattern will include up to 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

If baby is fussy, make sure that the diaper is clean, that he or she is well fed and just the right temperature. Since crying is the only means of communication, a fussy baby could have one of many things wrong. A comfortable baby is more likely to fall asleep. If his or her face is red or if the hair is damp, baby is too warm. No one is comfortable when he or she is too warm and this includes babies. Just remove a blanket or turn down the heat and watch as your baby’s sleep pattern comes naturally.

Chris Towland

If your baby is having sleep problems then take a look at The Baby Sleep Solution audio program. It’s the quickest way to solve your baby sleep problem – guaranteed! Take a look now at:     http://scrnch.me/m2q6d

I thank you for taking the time to read this short report
JanuszJanulis
© 2003-2009 World Marketing Media, Inc.
http://scrnch.me/m2q6d

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