9 Safe Sleep Habits to Help Prevent SIDS

As the mother to a two-month-old baby, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) really scares me. Although there is no way to completely prevent this horrible instance from occurring, there are, thankfully, some things that we as parents can do in an effort to prevent it as much as possible. These preventative measures are safe sleep habits that have been statistically shown to reduce the chance of SIDS.

In honor of October being SIDS Awareness Month, here is a list of these safe sleep tips as provided by HALO Sleep:

ALWAYS

1. Back is best. Always place your baby to sleep on his back at nap time and at night time.
2. Room share, but don’t bed share. Use something such as HALO’s new Bassinest Swivel Sleeper for baby to sleep in next to your bed instead of letting them sleep in the same bed with you. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against bed sharing as it can lead to an increased risk for accidental suffocation.
3. Use a firm mattress. Use a crib or bassinet that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snugly and is covered with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.
4. Remove soft things. Soft bedding or toys should be removed from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets, bumpers, pillows and positioners). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.
5. Consider using a binky. Some studies show that using a binky during sleep reduces SIDS. Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep. If breastfeeding, introduce a pacifier after one month or more of breastfeeding has been established.
6. Breastfeed. If possible, breastfeed your baby as this alone significantly reduces the risk of SIDS. When you finish a feeding session, put your baby back to sleep in his separate safe sleep area alongside your bed.

NEVER

1. Use soft surfaces. Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts, sheep skins, etc.).
2. Overdress baby. Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep. Keep the room’s temperature between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Smoke. Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where someone has recently smoked.

It may surprise you that I, being a proponent of natural living, prefer not to sleep in the same bed as my baby. I completely understand and respect why others do, but for our unique family’s situations, it’s something I really rather prefer not to do. I have multiple reasons (besides statistics) behind this including the fact that I’m a serious worrier and will literally lay awake all night long in the fear that I or my husband will roll over and squish our baby! But I do enjoy having our baby next to me at night. It makes it so much easier to nurse when she is only an arm’s reach away (I can get to her at her first cues, long before she’s screaming her head off to ensure us that she’s serious), plus if she gets fussy, I can pat her on the back to ensure her I’m right there (without the fear of squishing her). And I am able to check on her and reassure myself that she is, in fact, still breathing.

The negatives I found with the Bassinest are that the lights shine right in her face, making it not-so-convenient for checking for the rise and fall of the belly (to check for breathing–I’m always checking her breathing–told you I was a worrier!) without waking her up; and the feet of the Bassinest, though awesome at preventing it from tipping over, often stub my toes or trip me up in the middle of the night when I get up for any reason (although this is getting better as I am getting used to its presence and know where the feet are). Otherwise, this is such a handy, helpful product! I especially love that I can simply sit up in bed and pull the Bassinest to me to pull baby out. This helps to keep me groggy, preventing me from waking up too much and therefore minimizing how much sleep I lose to feeding the Little Lady.

You can purchase HALO Sleep’s unique, safe sleep products online.

The Prize

Safe Sleep Set
Consisiting of a HALO SleepSack Swaddle and a SleepSack Wearable Blanket
$60 Value

The Deadline

The Entry Form

To enter the giveaway, log in to the form below by entering your email and name. Then click on the “begin” link. Accomplish the tasks as you’re prompted. None of the entries are mandatory, so you can do as many or as few as you’d like! The more entry options that you do, the greater your odds of winning. Good luck!

NOTE: Since October is SIDS Awareness Month, for every new Facebook like that HALO receives this month, they will donate $1 to SIDS awareness!