2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21
The birth of a child is always a unique event. No matter how many children are born, the questions that arise in young parents are always the same: how to dress a baby, how to feed it properly, how to put a baby to sleep? These questions arise in all young parents, which, however, does not detract from their importance and relevance. After all, every child is unique and inimitable.
Why sleep posture is so important
The position in which the baby should sleep worries young parents the most. It would seem that let him sleep as he wants. However, not all so simple. Due to the many publications in which a hypothesis was put forward about the connection between sudden infant death syndrome and the position in which the baby sleeps, the question of whether it is possible for a baby to sleep on his stomach worries almost all parents. After all, the safety of the child comes first.
Danger of sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is described many times in the medical literature and, unfortunately, is quite common. An absolutely he althy child dies in his sleep andhowever, no reasons that led to this tragic event can be identified.
The reason why apparently he althy babies suddenly die in their sleep is still not known. Respiratory arrest is the only clear explanation. But why this happens, no one knows.
According to statistics, male babies under the age of three months, often premature or babies born as a result of multiple pregnancies, die most often. Other unfavorable factors include parents smoking, sleeping in a soft bed, overheated room.
Do babies sleep on their stomachs?
The sleeping position that most newborn babies take completely repeats the position in which they were all nine months of their intrauterine life. It is worth putting the baby on a flat surface, as he strives to curl up and lie down on his tummy the same way. However, outside the mother's womb, being in this position can be extremely dangerous for a newborn baby.
Before birth, the baby receives oxygen through the placenta. The baby's glottis is tightly closed, the lungs do not work. Being taken to the surface, the child is forced to breathe on his own. If the baby accidentally buries his nose in a mattress or a fold of a sheet, then there is a high probability that he will simply suffocate, because he simply will not be able to turn his head to the side. Most babies begin to control the muscles of the neck after 1-2 months. At the same time, the softer the mattress on which the child sleeps, the more risknewborn suffocate.
Can a newborn sleep on their back?
Most pediatric pediatricians, answering the question of parents, is it possible for a baby to sleep on his stomach, the answer is categorically negative. The child can be allowed to choose a sleeping position on his own only when he is able to turn his head or roll over on his side. This usually happens at the age of 3-4 months. Until this age, the parents should choose the sleeping position for the baby. Some parents put their baby to sleep on their back. However, sleeping on your back is also not completely safe for a newborn baby.
The daily routine of a newborn consists of alternating sleep, food and rare moments of wakefulness. We can say that most of the time the newborn sleeps. Some dormice even prefer to eat in a dream. Together with milk, the baby inevitably swallows some air, which he then burps.
Therefore, after feeding, it is recommended to hold the baby in an upright position for a while, patting lightly on the back. Sometimes the baby does not spit up immediately, but after a while. If at this moment the child sleeps lying on his back, then the vomit will enter the respiratory tract, and the baby will choke.
What is the safest position for a baby?
The safest way for a newborn baby is to sleep on its side. At the same time, it is necessary to put a roller from a folded towel or diaper on the side under the head. This is done so that the baby does not turn his head in a dream. Putting the baby to sleep on the barrel should be in one direction or the other. This will prevent the deformation of the skull. Thanks to the ungrown fontanel, the bones of the skull in newborns are quite mobile and soft. Accustomed to sleeping only on one side, the baby can lay a dent on his head. As a result, the baby's head will take on an irregular shape.
In what position to sleep baby after 1 month
After the baby is a month old, a rather unpleasant test awaits him. We are talking about infant colic, which are nothing more than intestinal spasms caused by excessive gas formation, and quite painful for the baby. At this time, pediatricians strongly recommend laying the baby on the tummy. This does not mean sleeping on the stomach, but periodic laying out in order to facilitate the passage of gases.
However, the baby itself, when sleeping, turns over on its stomach, trying to alleviate its condition. Attempts to turn the baby on the barrel are usually perceived extremely negatively. The kid is naughty and seeks to return to his favorite position. Trying to make a baby sleep on his stomach safe is the only right and acceptable solution for everyone.
How to make sleeping on your stomach safe for a baby
Never place an infant on pillows or soft duvet covers. Having buried his face in the pillow, the baby can easily suffocate. Do not wear blouses with ties on your child, these ties may be wrapped around his neck.
When buying a baby cribpay attention to the distance between the rails. They should not exceed 8-10 centimeters. If the gaps between the slats are larger, then the baby can get stuck in them with the head. Do not cover the baby with a thick blanket, it is better not to use wadded quilts at all. If a child is accidentally covered with such a blanket with his head, he may be left without air.
The air temperature in the child's room should not exceed 20 oC. If the baby has a runny nose, then it is necessary to monitor how he breathes through his nose, and clean the nose of dried mucus in time. If there are central heating radiators in the room, the air may be too dry. Use humidifiers.
Opinion of Dr. Komarovsky
When asked what to do if the baby sleeps on his stomach, Komarovsky advises not to interfere with the child's sleep in a position that is comfortable for him. When a child sleeps on his stomach, his back and neck muscles are strengthened. Such children are ahead of their peers in development, they begin to hold their heads and roll over earlier. In addition, when the baby sleeps on his stomach, he passes gases, and colic becomes less painful.
Sleeping on your stomach is good for kids. With severe colic in a baby, parents have no choice but to teach the baby to sleep on their stomach. In many cases, this becomes the only salvation. A thick mattress, a sheet without folds and the lack of a pillow make all the debate about whether it is possible for a baby to sleep on his stomach, absolutely meaningless. According to Dr. Komarovsky, sleeping on the stomach is veryuseful for the baby. Therefore, parents should not think about weaning the child from this position, but, on the contrary, think about how to teach the baby to sleep on his stomach.
According to Dr. Komarovsky, disputes about whether a baby can sleep on his stomach become meaningless if parents pay due attention to the quality of the bedding purchased for the child. Unfortunately, many manufacturers sin by completing cribs with low-quality, too soft, uneven mattresses. In addition, the parents themselves, after listening to the advice of "experienced" relatives, tend to buy a softer pillow and a warmer quilt for the baby, not thinking about the danger they expose their child to. Before putting the baby to bed, you should check how his bed meets the above criteria.
At what age is it safe for a baby to sleep on the stomach
The age of 5-6 months is the time when a baby can sleep on his stomach without fear of serious consequences. At this age, the baby is already in full control of his body, and there is no risk that he will suffocate in his sleep.
As for younger children, the answer to the question of whether it is possible for a baby to sleep on his stomach will most likely be negative. The fact is that in the first three months, most babies have one feature that makes sleeping on their stomach dangerous for them. If a child aged 0 to 3 months squeezes his nostrils, he will notwill make attempts to release, but simply stop breathing. Typically, these brief pauses in breathing last up to 15 seconds. But if the child's face is buried in a soft pillow or mattress, then the respiratory arrest can lead to suffocation.
In addition, a runny nose and too warm air in the room can contribute to respiratory arrest. The nasal passages of babies are extremely narrow. Dried mucus, turning into crusts, can block the baby's access to oxygen.
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