Do you remember how the cribs were a few years ago, or a few decades ago? They had fluffy comforters, cushions, protectors for the bars, some blanket over and even stuffed animals. All this made the baby's crib seem like the most pleasant place in the world. Something like sleeping in a cotton cloud.
Now, however, we know that the place where the baby sleeps should be something quite far from that image, much more earthly and uncomfortable in sight. Come on, a crib with a firm mattress, a sheet and nothing else. I repeat, nothing more. But this message has not yet reached all parents and a recent study shows that Although babies should not sleep with soft bedding, many parents still use it.
Study Data
American researchers have carried out a study to see how the latest recommendations to achieve safe sleep in babies were getting into the population and have seen that since 1996, when it was explained how babies should sleep, until 2010, the The number of parents who used soft bedding to put babies to sleep (comforters, blankets, pillows and other soft materials used to cover the baby or put it to sleep on it) decreased from 86% to 55%. So far so good. The problem is that from 2010 to date, the number has remained fairly stable.
The numbers say that in 2010, in the US, about 16 out of every 100,000 babies died from accidental asphyxiation during sleep and that 53 out of every 100,000 died of SIDS. The use of soft bedding can be the cause of many of the first and apparently it can also increase the risk of SIDS, so it is still necessary to remind parents that the baby should sleep in a most spartan crib, and not only that, but do so by putting babies in a supine position, that is, on their backs, but with their heads tilted.
Apparently, babies who die of SIDS are more often with bedding on their heads than babies of the same age who do not die. It also happens when babies are upside down (they shouldn't) and have a pillow, blanket or soft toy underneath.
And the colecho?
As experts say, the safest place for a baby to sleep is one where there is a firm mattress, a well-fitted sheet as a bottom and there are no comforters, blankets, cushions or stuffed animals. The "roll-over" and the protectors of the soft bars are less dangerous, but they are also considered expendable, since the baby could get stuck to them and have difficulty breathing sleeping.
This safe place seems not to fit too much with the usual recommendation to sleep with the baby. However, it is not that far in reality, because one of the things that is always said so that schooling with the baby is safe is that the mattress must be firm, the sheets well taken and that the baby is not near cushions, pillows , blankets or actually, of nothing soft that can cover him or his head.
In this regard, and as colecho has been beneficial for the establishment of breastfeeding and breastfeeding prevents sudden death, the AEP recommends avoiding colecho before 3 months of age and avoiding sleeping on soft surfaces, among other recommendations.
So, putting all the advice in the blender, what I would do if I had a baby in my arms would be to put a crib next to the parents' bed, with an open side in such a way that I would make a cot cradle, with the mattresses at the same height. Baby's crib with just the mattress and the sheet and with nothing to cover it. Then get a pleasant temperature in the bedroom or, in case we think it may be cold, put a little fatter pijamita.
And in our bed, opt for a sheet to cover us and make use of the same solution as the baby (thicker pajamas) or, if using blanket, leave it tucked in the feet of the bed in such a way that raising it completely I can't cover the baby's head.
