For the first time since 2016, American parents with babies are getting new safe sleep recommendations for reducing sleep-related infant deaths. In a policy statement and technical report published in the journal Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it has revised and expanded many guidelines, including those on co-sleeping, inclined sleepers and crib fixings.
?We?ve made great strides in learning what keeps infants safe during sleep but much work still needs to be done,? said Dr. Rachel Moon, lead author of the policy statement and technical report that outlines the new recommendations, in a press release. ?A baby?s death is tragic, heartbreaking and often preventable. If we?ve learned anything, it?s that simple is best: babies should always sleep alone in a crib or bassinet, on their back, without soft toys, pillows, blankets or other bedding.? While a number of guidelines were substantially updated with this new report, here’s what stood out to us:
Bed-sharing isn’t recommended?under any circumstances
When it comes to co-sleeping, parents and their babies should share a room but not a bed, according to the new AAP guidelines.
The AAP recommends that, until they’re six months old, babies should sleep “in the parents? room, close to the parents? bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants,” (i.e. a crib). Evidence shows that following this recommendation reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by as...