Kiddipedia
Joanna Lin, Co-founder of Cubo Ai
Becoming a parent is both an exciting and terrifying time. While you’ve now opened your hearts and home to a wonderful bundle of joy, there are also multiple factors to consider to ensure the bub stays safe — from things like what to feed them to reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Sleep safety in particular is an incredibly important one for new parents to keep on top of, considering babies sleep up to 14 – 17 hours a day. Below are three key practices that will help ensure your bub is as safe as possible while they re-charge through the day.
#1 Always put your baby in a separate, but close-by, safe place to sleep
Wanting to have your baby close to you as they sleep isn’t a bad thing. What you should never do however, is put them on the same bed as you, as you sleep. Adult beds and bedding are soft and can cause the baby to suffocate, or an adult can roll over on the baby, causing suffocation. As such, it’s important that babies do not bed share – and that includes sleeping in bed with other children, or sleeping with pets.
A safer option is to share a room. There are *studies suggesting that bed sharing, under certain conditions, may actually increase the risk of SIDS, room sharing has demonstrated that the risk is reduced for a baby. Room sharing involves the baby sleeping in your room, but on a separate, safe surface, like a bassinet, crib or portable play yard. For further peace of mind, the baby can be placed very close to the bed, even as close as within an arm’s reach, making it easier for you to get to them quickly.
However, if you’re unable to put the baby to sleep in a separate space within your room and also want to keep an eye on them throughout the day, investing in safe sleeping technology and monitors can be helpful. Technology like Cubo Ai’s Smart Baby Monitor offers peace of mind for many new parents; sending you alerts if your baby’s face is covered or if they have rolled over as well as scanning the room’s temperature around the clock. Creating an environment that promotes safe habits all night long will help the whole family sleep like a baby.
#2 Keep sleeping rooms at a comfortable temperature
Temperature is another crucial aspect of safe sleep practice. Experts say the sweet spot is around 16-20°C and anything too hot may increase the risk of SIDS. A great way to ensure the temperature is right, is to see how comfortable you are in the room — if you’re feeling a little iffy, chances are your bub is too.
Babies also need more layers of clothing than adults, so it’s important that you find a balance between keeping them warm, but not overheating them. Overheating may cause problems with the control the baby’s brain has over breathing and waking up. Factors such as seasonal change, household thermal heating, and blankets or pillows can also push the temperature into a danger zone.
For new parents feeling overwhelmed by the balancing act, a smart baby monitor is a good investment as they help to capture the room temperature and alert parents if it enters the danger zone.
#3 Start bedtime with your baby on their back
Research shows that the most effective step you can take against SIDS is to place your baby on their backs to begin sleeping sessions, whether that means a nap or bedtime. Unrelated to SIDS, this position may also help the bub breathe better and protect them against choking. Having your baby sleep on a firm surface is another way to reduce the chance of them rolling over.
Taking care of a baby is by no means an easy feat, especially when it’s compounded with the numerous things to take into consideration. Remember that parenting is infact a journey, and you’ll constantly learn along the way. However, by taking it one step at a time, and believing in yourself and your intuition, you’ll become a pro in no time.
Joanna bio
Joanna Lin is a mother of two boys, Chief Marketing Officer, and Co-Founder of Cubo Ai. After 6 IVF attempts, Joanna finally met her first little miracle. But when she found her baby’s face accidentally covered, she couldn’t sleep for months. When even 6 cameras couldn’t ease her worries, she partnered with Dr. Kenneth Yeh to design a proactive smart baby monitor for worried parents. With a mission to protect every baby in the world, they co-created Cubo Ai’s proprietary technology to proactively warn parents of dangerous situations such as Covered Face events so parents can step in when needed. They designed every Cubo Ai feature to enhance baby safety and keep lasting memories so parents can have peace of mind and enjoy their new parenting journey.
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