Crib Safety Guidelines and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Author Name: Heidi Holvoet, PhD
Medical fact-check: Dr Leah Alexander, M.D., F.A.A.P.
To sleep well, a baby must feel protected and secure. Crib safety is also crucial in the battle against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This includes safe bedding and a safe sleeping position.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Being safe not only helps your little one sleep but also prevents discomfort and injuries (from falling out of bed, getting stuck, ...). Moreover, a safe sleep environment is crucial to reduce the risk of SIDS , also called crib death or cot death.
Sudden infant death syndrome is the cruel taking away of a young baby,
who dies suddenly and unexplainedly.
A good start to help with prevention is
knowing
what
SIDS is and who's at risk
and what the official
SIDS prevention guidelines
are.
The
crib
safety
and
sleeping position
guidelines are equally important to protect
your child. Remember
not
to use any
wedges or positioner
, it is not safe.
If you or anyone near you smokes, please do read the article about the connection between
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and smoking
. It will guide you in protecting your little one.
Bedroom choices
When you set up the nursery, bedroom, or whichever sleeping place you have arranged, you will make
choices for
where and
how
.
Your little one can sleep in a crib in her
own
room
or start
out in your room. In your room she may have her
own bed
, a
co-sleeper
(side-car
bed next to you) or join the
family
bed
and cosleep in which cases it is of course crucial to follow all
cosleeping safety guidelines
diligently.
The room and
the bedding
may have bright baby colors and
themes, matching shades and designs or simple practical solutions.
Your choice will be personal and depend on your preference and
situation. But which ever you choose, you will naturally
always make it
cosy,
comfortable and safe
. This will ensure you have the
best environment for your baby to sleep well.
To help you select a safe and comfortable mattress you may find our
mattress guide
helpful.
It's not difficult to arrange a
secure sleeping environment
for your child. Just always follow the basic security guidelines
above and remember to trust your own instincts too.
Combined, you will be able
to
create a safe and
ideal place
for your dearest one.
Article Author: Heidi Holvoet, PhD - Founder, senior sleep consultant
Heidi Holvoet, PhD, is the founder of the Baby Sleep Advice website and movement, an award-winning author, baby & toddler sleep consultant with 15+ years experience as well as a certified lactation counselor.
Over the years, Heidi has received several awards inluding a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) and National Parenting Awards (NAPPA) for her Baby Sleep Advice website, programs and books. Also, Baby Sleep Advice was awarded "Most Trusted Infant's Sleep Solutions Company 2023" in the Benelux Enterprise Awards 2023.
Heidi continually conducts personal research and participates in continued education and in that way stays up to date with current scientific and pyschosocial infant care.
She is also a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants of which she was one of the earliest contributors. She obtained her PhD degree in physics at the University of Ghent in Belgium.
Heidi is passionate about helping babies and their parents sleep more and better, with her trademark approach that has been proven and praised time and again by parents worldwide to be effective and truly no-tears. Respect for you as a parent and your baby, is at the heart of Heidi's warm and kind support. Her approach always keeps in mind a baby's needs and abilities at any given age, is based on pediatric science and the most up to date knowledge in infant care and sleep science.
As well as the award-winning baby sleep programs, Heidi offers popular 1:1 consults and easy-access 30-minute SOS Sleep sessions.

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