October was SIDS Awareness Month, and HALO Innovations released results from their new study into safe sleep and the generation gap. This study revealed that parents and grandparents disagree on how to keep babies safe while they sleep. Grandparents are more likely than parents to place babies on their sides or stomachs to sleep, and are more likely to place unnecessary and potentially dangerous objects in babies’ cribs, increasing their risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation.
This didn't really surprise me, because my own parents kept insisting that my son would never get a good night's sleep unless he was sleeping on his stomach, and we got into quite a few arguments over this, and the fact they would also keep sneaking into his room to place a blanket over him. I became so frustrated I threatened to not let them see him, but a better way to have gone about it (and what I eventually did) was to explain SIDS and the risks of the way babies used to be put to sleep. With 30% of children younger than 5 being cared for by grandparents, there is a real need to educate the older generation in safe sleep practices such as placing babies on their backs to sleep and using wearable blankets (such as the HALO® SleepSack).
HALO's survey of 1,000+ parents and grandparents revealed the following:
• 58% of grandparents felt “babies are babies; what worked years ago when my children
were babies is still fine today.” Conversely, 60% of parents disagreed.
• Grandparents are twice as likely than parents to think a baby is safest sleeping
on his or her side or stomach.
• Grandparents are also much more likely to believe it is safe to have loose blankets and a baby monitor in the crib with the baby.
• Parents are almost twice as likely to swaddle their baby for sleep compared to grandparents.
With new safety practices becoming popular (no loose bedding, babies being put to sleep on their backs, etc) the occurrence of SIDS has been dramatically reduced, so when your parents say nothing happened to you when they put you to sleep on your stomach, you can tell them that you were lucky, but many parents and many babies were not, and you aren't willing to take the risk. Then, because they love your children and really do think they are just helping, share with all the grandparents these new Safe Sleep Practices:
• Place baby to sleep on his or her back at naptime and at night time.
• Use a crib that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snuggly and is covered
with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.
• Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets,
bumpers and positioners). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket
instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.
• Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep. If breastfeeding, introduce pacifier after one month
or after breastfeeding has been established.
• Breastfeed, if possible, but when finished, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe
sleep area alongside your bed.
• Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts,
sheep skins etc.)
• Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where
someone has recently smoked.
You can show your support of HALO and their work to promote SIDS awareness by liking them on facebook here: HALO Sleep Sack.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2
This didn't really surprise me, because my own parents kept insisting that my son would never get a good night's sleep unless he was sleeping on his stomach, and we got into quite a few arguments over this, and the fact they would also keep sneaking into his room to place a blanket over him. I became so frustrated I threatened to not let them see him, but a better way to have gone about it (and what I eventually did) was to explain SIDS and the risks of the way babies used to be put to sleep. With 30% of children younger than 5 being cared for by grandparents, there is a real need to educate the older generation in safe sleep practices such as placing babies on their backs to sleep and using wearable blankets (such as the HALO® SleepSack).
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| Halo SleepSack- Google Photo Credit |
HALO's survey of 1,000+ parents and grandparents revealed the following:
• 58% of grandparents felt “babies are babies; what worked years ago when my children
were babies is still fine today.” Conversely, 60% of parents disagreed.
• Grandparents are twice as likely than parents to think a baby is safest sleeping
on his or her side or stomach.
• Grandparents are also much more likely to believe it is safe to have loose blankets and a baby monitor in the crib with the baby.
• Parents are almost twice as likely to swaddle their baby for sleep compared to grandparents.
With new safety practices becoming popular (no loose bedding, babies being put to sleep on their backs, etc) the occurrence of SIDS has been dramatically reduced, so when your parents say nothing happened to you when they put you to sleep on your stomach, you can tell them that you were lucky, but many parents and many babies were not, and you aren't willing to take the risk. Then, because they love your children and really do think they are just helping, share with all the grandparents these new Safe Sleep Practices:
• Place baby to sleep on his or her back at naptime and at night time.
• Use a crib that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snuggly and is covered
with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.
• Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets,
bumpers and positioners). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket
instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.
• Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep. If breastfeeding, introduce pacifier after one month
or after breastfeeding has been established.
• Breastfeed, if possible, but when finished, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe
sleep area alongside your bed.
• Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts,
sheep skins etc.)
• Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where
someone has recently smoked.
You can show your support of HALO and their work to promote SIDS awareness by liking them on facebook here: HALO Sleep Sack.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2
Thanks for this. I'm going to print it out to show my mother.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I have a baby coming, great tips.
ReplyDeleteThaks! I didn't know how to respond to my parents and In-Laws when they argue with me about this.
ReplyDelete