Your baby spend most of the hours of the day sleeping so ensuring safe sleep for babies is essential.
You carried your baby in your womb for all those months. You cried, you laughed, you vomited, you spat and your body changed. Still, these didn’t matter because it came with the package of what you wanted. You had waited all these while to see your baby. You had loved your baby from the beginning and you couldn’t wait to welcome him or her. You promise that all his activities will be safe; safe eating, safe bathing and safe sleep for him.
Small wonder, you can’t stop holding your baby. Unless he’s sleeping, he is always in your hands. You pick him up when he cries, when he fusses and when he can’t sleep.
Safe Sleep for Babies
Safe sleep can help protect your baby from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other dangers. As a mother, you believe the best way for him to go to sleep (and for you to get some sleep) is for him to sleep with you, especially on those long nights. Please don’t. No matter how tired you are, put your baby in their bed.
Because you love her so much, you buy every cute toy, every teddy bear or every plush object advertised as a must need for a baby. Your baby does not recognize nor needs these things. Your baby just needs you.
Sudden Infand Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Babies die every day suddenly and unexpectedly while sleeping, often due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidental deaths from suffocation or strangulation. SIDS is the sudden unexplained death of a child less than one year of age.
There is nothing worse than your actions or inactions leading to the death of your baby. You love your baby and want to keep him or her safe. Practise safe sleep for babies at all times.
Preventive Steps You Can Take
1. Until their first birthday, babies should sleep on their backs for all sleep times, day and night.
2. Use a flat, firm surface, like a crib or bassinet.
3. Share a room with your baby for the first 6 months or first year. Do not share the same bed to sleep, only to feed or comfort.
4. Don’t place your baby to sleep on a couch, sofa, waterbed, soft mattress or other soft surface.
5. Don’t let your baby sleep in their carriers, sling, car seat or stroller; they can suffocate in these objects.
6. Remove hanging cords, wires or similar utensils from where your baby sleeps. They can get stuck in them and choke.
If you find your baby unconscious and not breathing, be ready to do CPR. Take a First Aid Class today to ensure you know what to do.
Prepare and prevent. Ensure you do all you can to keep your babies and children are safe.
Dr. Oluwatosin Osikoya is the Founder of Levande Healthcare Company. She facilitates First Aid Classes to enable Parents, Carers of Children, Schools and Businesses get the knowledge, skills and tools to handle any medical emergency.
