Best Tips For Safe Baby Sleep

“Compensation for this post was provided by hydraSense®. Opinions expressed here are my own.”

I spend a fair part of my day with newborns, young babies and their often-exhausted parents!
I am asked constantly how I can ensure they are safe and comfortable while they sleep. Many baby sleep problems are caused by environmental factors such as noise, comfort, temperature, light, and the sleeping surface.
Always ensure your baby is on his or her back when sleeping. This will reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Ensure there are no blankets, pillows, stuffed toys or loose bedding around your baby as this increases the risk of suffocation and death. (National Institutes of Health).

Here are some of my tips to ensure your baby gets the most sleep possible:

A Bit Of Noise

Inside mom, there was a constant stream of noise from mom’s heart. Now babies are used to that, and can easily awaken when there is any sudden background noise.  Using white noise can drown out background noise and is soothing for many babies since it mimics the sounds of the womb. A noise machine is safe if placed far from your child’s head and at the lowest level possible to drown out street and home sounds.

Baby Sleep & Temperature

Make sure baby is dressed in light clothes and keep the room at a comfortable temperature.  A room that is too hot can disrupt your baby’s sleep and can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death. (National Institutes of Health)

Baby Sleep & Light

Newborns have been (pretty much) in the dark for the duration of pregnancy. Your child’s sleep environment should be dark! Too much light can impede your child’s sleep. I suggest you have your baby in a light environment during awake periods, as you would be, and a dark environment when sleeping. This will get your baby used to light and dark, day and night.

Clean The Gunk Out

From day one, I relied on my trusty saline drops (and later saline spray) and a nasal suction to deal with my baby’s congestion. Babies are not able to clear their nose yet, so I did it for them. My first son had his first cold at a month of age, my second at a week of age, and poor Jason was sick within 3 days of birth! A few drops of hydraSense® Ultra-Gentle Mist, and some suction with the Nasal Aspirator, and good as new. My kids were breathing more clearly and we all slept better.

A Calm Room

Make sure that there is nothing overly stimulating in the baby’s room.  Remove any toys from the crib that have buttons, play music, or have flashing lights as these can over-stimulate and cause poorer sleep.

I hope you all sleep well tonight!