What You Need To Know About The New Safe Sleep Guidelines

Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released details from their comprehensive research on how best to keep babies safe, with particular attention to sleep practices and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The recommendation that has most people talking is that parents should room share with babies for their first year of life. While this may seem excessive, here’s what you need to know about SIDS and why this recommendation has been suggested:
 

• SIDS has no known cause and cannot be directly prevented. However, there are factors that can significantly reduce your child’s risk, including removing any soft bedding, bumper pads and toys from the crib; putting babies to sleep on their backs, in their own separate space, and on a firm, flat surface; and room sharing.

 

• Room sharing allows for babies to sense and smell their parents, which can be especially significant if mom is breastfeeding – another factor that can reduce the incidence of SIDS. While we all may want our babies to sleep through the night uninterrupted, it’s actually safest and best for babies that they do wake occasionally to be fed and to help prevent SIDS.

 

• SIDS is a risk factor for babies during their entire first year of life, with the majority (90%) of cases occurring within the first 6 months. (Health Canada also recommends babies room share with their parent(s) for at least the first 6 months of life for this reason). 

 

• Room sharing is recommended; bed sharing is not. The AAP and Health Canada discourage parents from sharing a bed with babies because of the increased risk of SIDS.

 
Parents know that keeping babies safe is of utmost importance, and they want to know they are doing all that they can to prevent any harm. Recommendations such as those presented by the AAP last week can help to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS related deaths happening among families across North America. For more information, visit www.aap.org or www.babysbreathcanada.ca
 
Be Safe, and Happy Sleeping
 
Ashley
 

 
Ashley Cooley is a Health Promotion Specialist, Childbirth Educator, and Child Sleep Consultant with Citadel Sleep Consulting. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with her husband and two toddler girls. She’s passionate about sharing her real life experiences and certified knowledge to help families sleep better.

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