Over the years, infant deaths have been rising in numbers and pediatricians have been working hard with other specialists on the medical field to battle this. Sudden Infant Deaths or SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths are two of the top major causes of death for infants.
Newborns or infants should sleep with their parents during their first six months up to their first year of life but it should be on a flat surface like crib or bassinet and not on soft surface like couch to minimize the risks of sleep-related death. These recommendations are from a new policy statement given by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
According to the press release emailed to Parent Herald, the policy statement is accompanied by a technical report that was released on Oct. 24 at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, California. The policy includes skin-to-skin care for newborn, the use of bedside and in-bed sleepers as well as information on how to create a safe sleep environment.
Rachel Moon, MD, FAAP and the author of the said policy said that parents should not put their baby on a sofa, couch or any cushioned chair because it is very hazardous for the infant. She also noted that yes, it is very overwhelming for parents to have a new baby, that is why the AAP wants to provide clear recommendations on how and where to put the baby to sleep.
AAP highly recommends to create a safe sleeping environment for infants. They mentioned that the baby should be put on his or back on a firm and flat sleep surface.
They also recommend to avoid using soft beddings, including crib bumpers, pillows and even stuff toys. The baby should share a room with the parents but not on the same bed until the baby turns 1-year-old.
Lastly the baby should not be exposed to smoke any hazardous substance like alcohol and drugs. Meanwhile, parents and doctors should have an open communication about their sleep practices to ensure the safety of the infants and to minimize the risk of infant deaths.
