New safe baby sleep guidelines emphasize no co-sleeping, crib decorations or reclining products – KION546

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Co-sleeping under any circumstances is not safe for infant sleep, the American Academy of Pediatrics pointed out Tuesday. the first update to its safe sleep guidelines for babies since 2016.

“We know that many parents choose to share a bed with a child, for example, perhaps to help with breastfeeding or because of a cultural preference or belief that it is safe,” said Dr. Rebecca Carlin, co-author of the guidelines and techniques. report of the AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the AAP Committee on Fetus and Newborn, in a statement.

“The evidence is clear that (co-sleeping) significantly increases a baby’s risk of injury or death,” said Carlin, assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “For this reason, the AAP cannot support bed sharing in any way.”

This is one of many recommendations the AAP has provided to pediatricians to help stem the tide of infant sleep deaths.

Some 3,500 infants, many of whom live in socially disadvantaged communities, die of sleep-related infant deaths each year in the United States, the AAP said.

“The rate of sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) among black and American Indian/Alaska Native infants was more than double and nearly three times, respectively, that of white infants (85 per 100,000 live births) in 2010-2013,” the AAP said. noted in a press release.

“We’ve made great strides in learning what keeps infants safe during sleep, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” said Dr Rachel Moon, lead author of the guidelines and professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia, in a press release.

Sleep in the same room, separate bed

While the AAP strongly advises against co-sleeping, its updated guidelines state that babies should sleep in the same room with their parents for at least six months on a separate sleep surface with a firm, level surface.

Based on new Consumer Product Safety Commission Regulations which goes into effect this week, the only products that can be marketed for infant sleep include cribs, bassinets, playhouses and bedside bolsters. Bedside bolsters are small separate cradles or bassinets that attach to the parent’s bed but allow babies to sleep on their own without any bedding.

Parents should not use sleep products that are not specifically marketed for sleep, the AAP said.

Other sleeping environments can also put infants at risk. Resting with a baby on a sofa, armchair or cushion and falling asleep increases the risk of infant death by 67%, the AAP Noted. If the baby is premature, born with low birth weight or is less than 4 months old, the risk of death while sleeping on a bed, sofa or other place increases five to 10 times, the academy said.

“A great way to test if a surface is too soft is to press down on your hand and then lift it. If your hand leaves an indentation, it’s too soft,” said Alison Jacobson, CEO of first candlea national non-profit organization committed to eliminating SIDS and other sleep-related childhood deaths through education and advocacy.

Naked is better

Parents should always have babies sleep alone on their backs on a flat, firm mattress covered with a cozy fitted sheet, according to the AAP. Avoid all extras in the crib, including stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, soft bedding, sleep positioners, or crib bumpers, as babies can become trapped by such items and suffocate.

“Crib bumpers have been linked to over 100 infant deaths over the past 30 years,” AAP states on their consumer website, childreninhealth.org.

These products are usually used by well-meaning parents, who only want the best for their child and believe they are doing the right thing, said psychologist Carol Pollack-Nelson, a former CPSC employee who now studies how people use consumer products.

“When they see their little peanut crying and struggling to settle in the big crib, they think, ‘Well, I need to get the crib warm. My baby just came out of the womb, you know. So , intuitively, that’s what makes sense,” Pollack-Nelson said.

But babies don’t need any of these stuffed products to be warm and cozy, Jacobson said. “Instead of a sheet or blanket, place baby in a diaper bag or portable blanket.”

In fact, putting excessive clothes or blankets on a baby, especially in a warm room, may be associated with an increased risk of SIDS, Jacobson said.

“Hats and any other headgear should be removed before putting your baby to bed,” she said, adding that babies only need one more layer than an adult would typically wear.

Because crib slats are now regulated to be close together, bumpers are no longer necessary, the AAP said. “Stores are now selling mesh bumpers and upright crib liners. But even these can come loose and become a strangulation hazard. Babies can also get stuck between themselves and the crib mattress,” the academy warned.

Inclination less than 10% allowed

The new CPSC regulations will ban all products marketed for infant sleep that have an inclination greater than 10%. These include recline sleepers and sleep positioners — which are also known as baby nests, docks, bassinets, loungers, rockers and diapers, the AAP said. A number of products may not be sold as sleeping pills, but babies often fall asleep using them.

Many such products on the market have an inclination of up to 30%, which can be dangerous because babies’ heads fall forward during sleep, the APP said. This chin-to-chest position can restrict their airways, causing suffocation. Infants can also climb out of devices and become trapped under them, the AAP warned.

The Safe Baby Sleep Actenacted last year, prohibits the manufacture and sale of slanted sleepers and bed bumpers.

Car seats, strollers, swings, infant carriers and infant carriers can also obstruct a baby’s airway, the AAP said. So when baby falls asleep in it – which is unavoidable – parents should move the child to lie on their back on a flat, firm surface.

Avoid commercial devices sold for SIDS

In its new guidelines, the AAP also warns against using commercial devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related problems, including wearable monitors.

Also, don’t use home cardiorespiratory monitors — devices that monitor baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels — as a way to reduce SIDS risk, because there’s no evidence they work, Jacobson said. .

“The use of products claiming to increase sleep security can create a false sense of security” for parents, which “could lead to a reduction in safe sleep practices for infants,” she said.

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