A child's safety is a priority for parents from the first moments of their life. Concern for the baby usually appears already during pregnancy, every twinge, contraction or unusual sensation makes the future mother feel anxious about the unborn child. This is a completely normal reaction - parental care is a sign of love.

Knowledge is our weapon against threats. The more we know about the child, as well as his safe sleep, feeding and play, the easier it is for us to provide him with appropriate and safe conditions for development. In this article you will find a dose of knowledge about safe sleep for a newborn, thanks to which you can adjust the place and conditions for your child's sleep in such a way that it is as safe as possible.

SIDS – every parent's nightmare

Let's start by dealing with probably the biggest nightmare of every parent, SIDS - sudden infant death syndrome. Probably each of us has heard or read about a baby who died suddenly while sleeping, for no apparent reason. This is considered SIDS. The causes of SIDS are not fully scientifically explained, but the factors that increase the risk of SIDS are considered to be highly probable:

• Underdevelopment of the nervous system

• Congenital defects

• Perinatal infection

• Sleeping in the same bed with adults - crushing

• SIDS in siblings

• Hidden respiratory infection

• Your child is hypothermic or overheated

• Inappropriate sleeping position

• Inappropriate temperature in the child's room

• Low birth weight of the baby

• Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs by a pregnant woman

• Young mother's age – below 20 years of age.

• Inadequate antenatal care

As a parent of a newborn, we cannot predict whether the child will develop sudden infant death syndrome; we can only do everything we can to eliminate those factors over which we have real influence. One of the most important is to provide appropriate sleeping conditions for the baby.

A safe place for a newborn to sleep

When arranging a corner or a room for a newborn, we choose its design. Accessories stores offer a lot of beautiful decorations, accessories and toys that are tempting to buy and decorate your baby's bed with them. It is essential that there is nothing else in newborn's bed except mattress suitable for the child, not too soft, and a cotton sheet with an elastic band.

It is important that the sheet has an elastic band and fits well, so that it does not roll or tighten, and therefore the child will be comfortable while sleeping. Always choose sheets made of natural fabrics, with the OEKO TEX certificate, class I - you will be sure that the materials used in production do not contain harmful chemicals and were not used during their production (e.g. dyeing, bleaching, etc.).

All toys, stuffed animals and blankets can become a deadly threat to a baby. At night, they may be too close to the baby's face, obstructing the baby's oxygen supply.

For this reason, minimalism in the crib is essential for the safety of the newborn.

Baby bedding set – is it necessary?

If there should only be a sheet and a mattress in the bed, what should we cover the baby with? A baby may move and roll while sleeping and may end up completely under the blanket and unable to get out on its own.

The bedding set is perfect for children over 1 year of age, and the smaller size is perfect for babies, as a cover for a stroller during a walk or a Moses basket during a nap, when we can keep an eye on the child, so it is safe.

What about the pillow? Until the age of 3, a child does not need it and in fact should not have it. If we need a pillow because the baby is throwing up, we will choose one that is as flat as possible. Such pillows are included in stroller bedding sets.

When choosing bedding set for an older child, pay attention to whether you are buying just a bedding cover or bedding with filling. The second option is certainly much more practical and hygienic for children up to 3 years of age. Due to spills, leaking diapers and other attractions in the first years of life, we wash full bedding with filling in the washing machine and we are sure that we ensure hygiene for our child.

A baby wrap, bamboo swaddle or bamboo/cotton blanket - what can you use to safely wrap your baby to sleep?

The fact that there should be no additional accessories in a child's bed, such as toys or even bedding, does not mean that we cannot wrap him up to sleep. On the contrary, covering and tucking in to sleep has a calming effect and improves the quality of sleep, especially for newborns.

Newborns often wake up due to the moro reflex, thanks to swaddling these involuntary reflexes are blocked and the baby can sleep peacefully. We have several products to choose from that will work well while your newborn sleeps. Baby wraps are a very convenient option for parents, allowing you to safely and quickly tuck your baby to sleep. The baby wrap also makes it easier to lift the baby, which makes life much easier, especially for new parents. However, the baby wrap does not provide a full enveloping effect, so it will not always be effective, especially in the case of children who need full swaddling. Most quilts can be used as a quilt when unfolded.

Bamboo swaddles and babmoo/cotton blankets are great for wrapping babies. However, it is very important to learn how to do it effectively and safely. It is very important to leave room for the hips, which should be in the so-called "frog" position. Before the first swaddling, it is worth watching instructional videos or using an experienced midwife who will teach us how to do it correctly. Bamboo/cotton blankets and bamboo swaddles are very functional, they are also perfect for summer walks in a stroller, as they ensure proper air circulation and optimal temperature for sleep. As with bedding, we advise against using blankets and swaddles to simply cover your newborn to sleep at night. Similarly to bedding, this may pose a risk of covering the head and making breathing difficult. Choose blankets and swaddles of the highest quality to avoid allergies and irritations in your baby.

Can a newborn sleep in a sleeping bag?

It is worth mentioning another useful product, which is a baby sleeping bag. This is a safe option for babies who do not need to be wrapped tightly. If we choose a sleeping bag suited to the child's age, it is a very comfortable and safe solution that provides the child with the optimal temperature for sleep. If your child doesn't like sleeping in a traditional sleeping bag because it limits his or her freedom of movement, try sleeping bags with legs - a great solution for active little ones.

Cocoon – a useful gadget for a baby

A baby cocoon is another useful layette accessory that may come in handy when a newborn comes to live in our home. The cocoon will be useful when we want the baby to sleep in bed with us, it will provide him with a safe place, protect him against possible crushing and allow him to feel close to his parents. It is also a convenient option for a mother who is breastfeeding. The cocoon is also useful when caring for a child during the day. We can put it on the bed or sofa, the baby will have a safe place to lie down and even take a nap, without fear of rolling down to the ground.

What about bed bumpers?

Although they look very cute in baby's bed, bed bumpers shouldn't be used for newborn. Bed bumpers are perfect accessory for babies age of 6-7 months old, who already can control their moves and turns. 

Safe sleep for a newborn – what else is worth knowing?

We already know what sleep accessories are safe and useful for newborns. Strong swaddling will ensure that babies, especially restless ones, have a deep and safe sleep. During the day, we can cover children with a light blanket or a bamboo swaddle, but we must remember to keep an eye on the baby and check whether it has accidentally pulled the blanket over its head or rolled away. under cover.

To provide your child with comfortable and safe sleeping conditions, we should also ensure the appropriate temperature in the room where the baby sleeps. Before going to bed, it is worth airing the room to provide fresh air.

Do not dress your child too thickly for sleep, adjust the clothes to the season and the temperature in the room.

Let's make sure that the child does not sleep in a room where someone is smoking.

If we can, or there are medical reasons for it, it is worth purchasing a breathing monitor that will additionally monitor the child's sleep and will respond with an alarm in the event of sleep apnea, which will give us the opportunity to control and quickly react if something disturbing happens to the child.