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How To Position A Sleeping Baby?

The biggest responsibility that any human being can take up is that of nurturing another. Quite honestly speaking, the process of nurturing a baby begins right from the moment a child is conceived. However, during the first nine months, the baby is within you and all that you have to worry about is feeding it appropriately and giving it the nutrition that it deserves.

Once a child is born, your responsibilities increase manifold. You are not just responsible for feeding him or her well but everything else (including bathing the child and putting him or her to sleep) is now your responsibility.

baby sleeping positions pictures

Although over time most parents become experts in this regard, in the initial few days after the child is brought home from the hospital, many parents feel that positioning a sleeping baby is a challenge in itself. This is all the way truer in the case of first-time parents.

In fact, many parents have confessed to spending sleepless nights worrying about the same. To help you ace this particular duty as a new parent, this article brings to you a step-by-step procedure. If you follow the same you are very likely to ace this particular task.

  • Make The Baby Lie On The Back
  • Keep A Check On The Turning
  • Use Cotton Bed Sheets
  • Do Not Get Paranoid
  • Place The Feet Towards The Foot Of The Crib
  • Use Of Blankets And Sleeping Bags
  • Cushion It Well

1. Make The Baby Lie On The Back

As obvious as this particular point sounds, the fact is that most babies face long-term health complications only because parents have not laid them on their back in their infancy. Paediatricians have confirmed that the most common cause of sudden infant death or death in the crib is the fact that babies are not made to lie on the back. It is generally seen that parents are careful about this factor when they are putting their babies for a long sleep. However, they tend to neglect the same when it is the matter of a quick nap. Make sure that you do not make this particular mistake.

2. Keep A Check On The Turning

The most crucial thing to bear in mind while positioning a sleeping baby is the fact that they should never ever lie on their tummy or sides. Now, this is not a problem in the initial few months. The newborn baby will lie exactly how you placed him and in case he or she needs attention, they will just cry their lungs out.

However, that is not the case in the later months. You will gradually find your baby turning in his or her sleep. If you notice such a thing make the baby rest on its back again and put the little one to sleep.

3. Use Cotton Bed Sheets

As beautiful as those synthetic bedspreads may look, the fact is that placing a newborn baby over those will make him or her slip. This will also prompt the baby to change its positions. Since you would not want such a thing to happen to your little one, it is advisable that you stick to comfortable cotton bed sheets that are not irritable to your child's delicate skin as well.

4. Do Not Get Paranoid

Now, just because we have asked you to make your child rest on its back in case you notice otherwise it does not mean that you need to set an alarm for yourself to wake up at every hour of the night to check your baby's sleeping position. The type of movement that we had discussed is generally observed in babies who are over 6 months of age. Understand that your baby is now growing up and this sort of gradual postural change is not really bad for him or her.

5. Place The Feet Towards The Foot Of The Crib

Usually, when parents buy a crib it is big enough to accommodate a much bigger child. Thus when you place your newborn child (or a child who is of a few months of age) in the crib it will only take a small portion of the space. In such a situation make sure that you do not place the baby in the middle of the crib. Ideally, your baby's feet should be towards the foot of the crib. This will ensure that he or she is in maximum comfort. Since there has to be a lot of extra space, make sure that the same is above the baby's head.

6. Use Of Blankets And Sleeping Bags

Based on the climatic conditions you may be compelled to use blankets, sleeping bags or other things of these likes. If you are using blankets make sure that the top of the blanket is well below the child's face. This will ensure that it doesn't get over the child's face during his or her sleep. In case such a thing happens, it may prove to be very dangerous. Sleeping bags are a good option to position a sleeping baby. However, their use is not advised for infants less than 4 months of age.

7. Cushion It Well

This is all the way more important when your child is of a few months of age. By this time, your child may have started moving in their sleep. Thus, as a safety measure, it will be smart on your part to have had the edges guarded with soft cushions. This will ensure that even if your child does wake up in the middle of the night or when you are not around, she or he will not end up hurting himself. Moreover, having a lot of cushions and positioning the same when you put your child to sleep will ensure that the little one is snug in his place.

Having understood the manner in which you should position your child to sleep, by now you must be feeling more confident about the same. Take a moment to pause everything else and pat yourself on the back for being the wonderful parent that you are!

Story first published: Wednesday, August 8, 2018, 15:52 [IST]
Read more about: sleeping baby