Safe Sleeping for Your Infant

Providing a safe sleeping environment for your infant is extremely important  for the safety of your baby.  In January 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued updated guidelines regarding safe sleeping.  The following are methods that you can use to help your child sleep safely.

• Always put infants on their backs (face up) when they are resting, napping or sleeping.
• Place infants on their tummies only when they are awake and supervised.
• Dress your baby in a sleeper or pajamas appropriate for the room’s temperature instead of covering them with a blanket.
• Keep the infant’s room cool.  Remember, your baby can not remove clothes if he gets too warm.
• Make sure the mattress fits snugly into the crib’s frame.  If you do not have a crib, place your infant on a firm sleep surface such as a bassinet or cradle and never on a sofa, pillow, adult bed, waterbed or air mattress.
• Never let your infant sleep or nap with pillows, stuffed toys, bumper pads, comforters, quilts or other people.

LINKS

Henrico Health Department Maternity Clinic
Henrico Doctors Hospital Women's Pavillion
Bon Secours for Women
Free BabyCare Brochure
Children's Health Involving Parents (CHIP of Richmond)
Family Lifeline
March of Dimes
March of Dimes (Spanish)
American Baby Magazine
Parents Magazine
Baby Center
TodoBebe.com
Safe Sleeping
Premature Birth

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