Safety is a number one priority for every parent and most importantly when a baby is asleep. Every parent would give up anything to ensure that an infant grows to adulthood in perfect health and utmost security.

Unfortunately, this turns out not to be the case as some babies die when still young and under the care of their parents. This is so because many parents do not understand causes of sudden infant death syndrome or ways on how it could be prevented.

However, in the present day world, there is an awareness that has been created as a way of educating parents on how to take care of their young ones and reduce infant deaths thanks to the internet. This article highlights important guidelines to ensure that babies sleep safely.

The safest place for an infant to sleep is in his or her own cot. However, this cot may pose a threat to the baby if not well structured and not prepared in the correct manner.

To enhance baby's safety while sleeping in a cot, every care giver should ensure that a baby's cot is of the correct height preferably fifty centimeters high between the mattress top and the top of the bars. This is important as it eliminates the chances of a baby falling down as he or she rolls over.

A perfect cot should also have bars that are in between twenty five and six millimeters so as to reduces the risk of the baby being stuck in between the bars. Additionally, a baby's cot should be free from protruding extensions and decorations as they are likely to pose a threat of baby's clothing or limbs being trapped in them causing the baby to struggle and in worst cases causing death.

[ Read: How To Choose The Best Bassinet For Newborn – Mom’s Guide 2017 ]​

Place Baby In The Correct Sleeping Posture

Every care giver must lie down a baby in the correct position in order to reduce the risk of suffocation that results to death of infants. Placing the baby to sleep on his or her side or the tummy increases the risk of suffocation from the mattress. A baby should be put to sleep on his or her back as it is not easy for him or her to roll over and get suffocated.

New moms would have the fear of a babies chocking while sleeping on their backs but this should not be a cause for alarm as babies' airways are made in a perfect way to prevent chocking.

Monitor A Sleeping Baby

Keeping an eye on a sleeping baby reduces to a great extent the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This is so because one is likely to identify any cases of suffocation, choking or struggle as the baby is in the cot.

A mother should sleep in the same room with her newborn until he or she is six months or the first one year. If a baby is moved in to a different room, baby monitors must be put in place to ensure that the mother is in a position to monitor the well being of the baby when he or she is sleeping.

Make It Easy For Baby To Fall Asleep

Many babies find it difficult to fall asleep and would require the mother to spend some time swinging and carrying them around before they fall asleep. However, this tasks may be simplified by the use of baby swings that simply soothes on moms behalf and makes a baby fall asleep quickly without much hassle.

Moreover, use of an infant carrier makes it easy for a mother to carry a baby around and encourage him or her to sleep much faster as it is comfortable and warm enough.These two items make a mom's work easier and improve the quality of sleep for the baby.

[ Read: Top 5 Best Baby Carrier For Breastfeeding ]

Get Rid Of Any Unwanted Materials In A Baby's Cot

Soft items, bed sheets that are not well tucked, toys, waterbeds among others pose a threat to a sleeping baby as they are likely to cover his or her neck or head and cause suffocation.

Such items must be completely eliminated from baby's cot as a way of enhancing safety. Hanging items and stringed cloths must also not be placed anywhere near baby's sleeping area as they can strangle a baby.

Conclusion

Babies require long hours of sleep as well as high-quality sleep so as to grow as required and remain healthy. With this in mind, therefore every parent must ensure that babies sleep in the safest place possible. Monitoring a sleeping baby, placing him or her in the correct sleeping posture in a safe cot are important tips that every caregiver must embrace to ensure that an infant is safe.

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