Growing into a toddler requires a lot of sleep as an infant—on average, infants sleep 12 to 16 hours a day their first year. To help ensure that every hour of a baby’s sleep is safe, Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend:
- Place baby on his or her back to sleep every time.
- Only place baby on a firm, flat mattress in crib, with tightly fitted crib sheet.
- No pillows, bumpers, loose blankets or toys in crib.
- Share your room, but not your bed, with your baby. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, couch or chair alone or with you or with anyone else.
- Keep baby’s room temperature between 68–72 degrees.
- Use a crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard that meets current safety standards* and has not been recalled.
- Talk with your baby’s doctor if you have any questions about safe sleep.
All LVHN Babies Receive Safe Sleep Sack
To help keep baby warm, a wearable sleep blanket is a safe and cozy solution. This year, LVHN’s Family Birth and Newborn Centers will present every newborn with a wearable sleep sack as a gift from Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. Parents will also receive a set of month stickers to mark milestones throughout baby’s first year.
*For crib safety guidelines, visit Consumer Product Safety Commission at cpsc.gov.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Lehigh Valley Health Network and Lehigh Valley Style.
