!#8# How to Provide a Safe Sleep Area For Your Baby - Is Sharing Your Bed With Your Baby Safe?

!±8± How to Provide a Safe Sleep Area For Your Baby - Is Sharing Your Bed With Your Baby Safe?

One of the most joyful moments in life is when you hold your newborn in your arms. Another memorable joyful time is when you celebrate your baby's first birthday. It is not a constant joyride until the parents and the infant reach this important milestone. The parents and extended family and friends in preparing for the arrival of the newborn in the house put in a lot of intensive labor, and this continues after the baby arrives. Awareness of current safety tips provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development(NICHD), US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA) will go a long way in providing a safe environment for your baby in your home.

This is a brief account of the important safety tips for your baby's sleeping environment; very well compiled by the First Candle organization, which is dedicated to promote infant health and survival. Providing a safe sleep area for your baby is one of the most important things you can do to ensure their safety. First Candle, in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, says that the safest place for your baby to sleep, for at least the first six months, is near your bed in his or her own separate space. Some parents think that bed sharing is somehow protective against SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). There is no such evidence, in fact, there is significant evidence to indicate that bed sharing increases the risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental deaths. Research show that room sharing i.e. placing your baby in his or her own separate space near your bed, can reduce the risk of SIDS and the potential for accidents such as suffocation, falls from the bed, and/or entrapment between the mattress and wall, headboard, foot board, or other piece of furniture. It is fine to breast feed and bond with your baby in your bed, but when its time to fall asleep, protect your baby by placing him or her alongside your bed in a separate, safe sleep area.

These are some important Safety Tips for Using a Crib: Read the directions to set up, use, and care for the crib. Never use a crib with loose or missing attachments or support hardware. Never leave the crib sides down when the baby is in the crib. Hanging crib toys (mobiles, crib gyms) should be out of the baby's reach. Any hanging crib toy must be removed when your baby first begins to push up on his or her hands and knees or when the baby is 5 months old, whichever occurs first. These toys can strangle a baby. If bumper pads are used, remove them when the baby begins to stand so that they can't be used as steps. The crib mattress should be lowered before the baby can sit alone. The mattress should be at its lowest point before the baby can stand. Children should be taken out of a crib by the time they are 35 inches tall. Place your baby's crib away from windows. Cords from window blinds and draperies can strangle your child. Use cordless window coverings, or if this is not possible, tie cords high and out of reach. Do not knot cords together. Be sure to inspect every crib your child uses for safety-those at the grandparent's home, the baby-sitter's home, or the child care center. Hammocks and other swinging devices should not be installed onto a crib because the baby may be strangled. If parts are missing, contact the crib manufacturer for replacement hardware.

These are some of the Safe Bedding Practices for Your Baby: Place baby on his or her back on a firm tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards. Remove pillows, pillow-like bumper pads, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys, and other soft products from the crib. Consider using a sleeper or other sleep clothing as an alternative to blankets, with no other covering. If using a blanket, put baby with feet at the foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby's chest. Make sure your baby's head remains uncovered during sleep. Do not place baby on a water-bed, sofa, soft mattress, pillow, or other soft surface.

Please visit the websites of AAP, NICHD, CPSC, JPMA and First Candle for more detailed safety tips for your baby. You owe it to yourself and your bundle of joy.