What is co-sleeping? Co-sleeping refers to a few different sleeping arrangements. For instance, co-sleeping can be when you actually share the same sleep surface (for example, bed, couch, mat, or futon) as your baby. Sharing a room, such as having your baby sleep in his crib in your bedroom, is [...]
My child has seizures. How can I be sure he is safe while he is sleeping? There are types of seizures that occur only or primarily during sleep. These types of seizures at night are no more dangerous than seizures during the day, and they usually resolve on their own without any problem. [...]
Will sleeping on her back cause a flat spot on my baby’s head? The Back to Sleep campaign (the recommendation to put a baby to sleep on her back when sleeping) to prevent SIDS leads to the possibility that an infant could develop a flat spot on her head. A baby’s skull is soft and the bones [...]
Is my child asleep or awake when he is having a sleep terror – and how long do they usually last? Sleep terrors occur during deep sleep and usually involve seemingly persistent fear or terror, screaming, sweating, confusion, and tachycardia (increased heart rate), tachypnea (increased breathing [...]
When can I stop worrying about SIDS? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation. Babies are most at risk for SIDS is between 1 and 4 months of age and 90% of cases occur before the age of 6 [...]
When should I wean his swaddle? Great question – and like many questions about your baby’s sleep and development, there is going to be individual differences for every baby and every family. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that caregivers stop swaddling a baby when it [...]
Is it safe to let my baby sleep on his stomach? Generally, no. It is not safe. You should always put your baby down to sleep flat on his back on a firm surface. Things like soft mattresses or other bedding, pillows, couch cushions, or nursing pillows are not safe for sleeping in general – this is [...]
In my home and neighborhood, many people commonly share beds and rooms. How can I help everyone to get good sleep? That’s common! Many families have family members who share rooms and beds in multiple places in the home when it’s time to sleep. Sometimes that is a family choice and other times [...]
How can I wean his swaddle? It’s time to wean his swaddle – what do you do? You can take one of two approaches. One way would be to wean it all at once. In other words, just start putting him down at bedtime without it. Another way is to do it more gradually. Do this by first keeping out one [...]
Is it safe to let my baby sleep with pacifiers that have stuffed animals or a ribbon attached to them? Those pacifiers with little toys on them are adorable. But their safety when your baby is sleeping really depends on your little one’s age and the product. If your little one is less than 12 [...]