Sleeping Safe and Sound

There is nothing more peaceful than the sight of a sleeping baby. At the same time, there is no thought more terrifying than that, your baby may die while sleeping soundly. Unfortunate as it is, there are a few instances of cot deaths. Every parents main concern is to keep their baby safe and sound even when they are asleep. Though numerous studies have been done on cot deaths, no one has been able to pin point the reason for the same. This fatality seems to be caused when a number of factors work together and affect the baby some particular way. Researchers have come up a few simple rules to be followed, which considerably lower the risk of cot death while the baby is asleep. Follow these rules to help your baby sleep safely

• Make your baby sleep on his/her back.
• Make the baby sleep in the 'feet-to-foot' position and away from the end of the cot. Place the baby in such a way that, the feet of the baby are facing the foot of the cot, but are not touching the end of the cot.
• The right temperature for a baby's room is 18 degrees centigrade (65 F). Babies should never get very hot.
• Do not use an electric blanket or a hot water bottle in the baby's cot.
• They should not be allowed to sleep either in direct sunlight or near a fire or heater.
• The baby's clothes, sheets and blankets must be made of cotton only.
• While sleeping all they need is nappy, vest and sleep suit. If it is a hot night them make sure you dress the baby lightly.
• Do not use duvets or sheepskins until the baby is a year old.
• The room in which the baby sleeps must be smoke free. Do not smoke or allow anyone to smoke while near the baby.
• During the first six months make sure that the baby cot is in your bedroom.
• Avoid sleeping with your baby on the sofa.
• If you smoke, drink alcohol, are taking medicines or drugs which will make you sleep deeply, then do not allow your baby to share your bed.
• Do not cover the baby's head unless it is very cold, as they lose excess heat from their head and face.
• When the baby has a fever his covering should be light and not heavy as is often believed.
• The baby's bedding, mattress, covering should be kept clean, sun-dry and aired.

Baby Sleeping Bags

In France, sleeping bags are used for babies from the time they are born. But in England they are recommended only for babies who are four months and above. After the age of four months or so, your baby is more likely to form a pattern of waking and sleeping and the intervals between feeds grow longer. The coziness of a baby sleeping bag can help reinforce this pattern, and give your baby the security he or she needs to sleep. Here is the info you need to know about baby sleeping bags:

• There are a number of things that disturb a sleeping baby - a wet nappy, hunger, pain or because they are feeling cold. Feeling cold is the most common reason that parents tend to overlook. As they sleep, their body temperature is lowered and if they have accidentally kicked off their blanket, they wake up, waking up the household. Using a sleeping bag will keep your baby warm without extra covers that can be displaced. As your baby can move and kick her legs in the sleeping bag as well, she will not feel constrained.
• Choose your baby's sleeping bag according to season so that he or she stays comfortably warm and does not overheat. Bags are given a TOG rating according to the warmth they provide, higher the figure warmer the bag. In winter a first-size baby sleeping bag should have a rating of 4 TOG - 2.2 TOG that is the average. In summer you'll need a sleeping bag with a lower TOG rating. When using a new bag, check it to ensure that the design and weight do not lead to overheating.
• Make sure that the room in which your baby sleeps is not too warm - the ideal room temperature for a baby is 18 degrees C (65 º F).
• Look for a sleeping bag with deep sleeve holes, so that the air has room to circulate thus preventing your baby from overheating. Underneath the sleeping bag your baby can wear a cotton sleep suit, pajamas or just a vest or T-shirt in summer.