Should babies sleep alone?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi My Linh - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

1. Infant sleep

The average newborn sleeps about 16 hours a day, but some sleep less or more depending on their needs. Also, it's not uncommon for an infant's sleep to vary from day to day; Children may sleep less than usual one day and then "catch up" by sleeping more the next day. Help your newborn sleep well and let your baby sleep as much as he wants as long as he wakes up to feed, eats well, and wets at least eight diapers a day.
But you'll probably find that your baby sleeps for a large part of the day, wakes up mostly to eat, and then goes back to sleep soon after. This routine will change during the first few months as your baby gradually spends more time awake and playing. However, mothers should observe some children with sleep disorders in infants for examination and timely advice from medical professionals.

2. Should babies sleep alone?

Most babies sleep in close contact with their mothers. Especially according to the Eastern concept, sleeping with children will increase mother-child affection, easy to take care of children at night, easy to breastfeed... However, according to Western concept, children sleeping separately will increase independence, giving children an open atmosphere to breathe, and also convenient for parents' activities.

According to research by Barack Morgan and colleagues from the University of Cape Town in the Journal of Biological Psychiatry. Researchers studied 19 babies born vaginally, at full term, by cesarean section in the delivery room. As is common in many places, these South African babies stayed with their mothers in the hospital for 3 days after birth.
When babies sleep, babies are loosely swaddled and kept in open cradles alongside the mother's bed. Some babies sleep in cribs, others, babies sleep skin-to-skin on the mother's chest. The researchers measured changes in heart rate - an indicator of activity in the autonomic nervous system - when they were more alert and stressed. So the researchers reasoned that a sleeping baby experiencing increased self-control was more stressed.
After each baby was tested for both conditions, the researchers compared the results. And the difference has been shown. Overall, when babies slept alone in the crib, self-control increased by 176%, and deep sleep was less. The difference is due to body temperature. Babies can be warmer when they sleep with their mothers. Warmth enhances self-control. On the other hand, we know that skin-to-skin contact has a healing effect. In experiments on premature infants, babies who had more skin contact experienced better health and faster brain maturation.
In one study, skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth resulted in optimal cardiovascular stabilization 6 hours later. Of the babies randomly assigned to the incubator, less than half were in stable cardiovascular condition. The researchers of that study concluded: Infants should not be separated from their mothers.

Questions arise: How safe is it for babies to sleep alone? What about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)? Are researchers advocating that mothers sleep with their infants? Is it dangerous to let babies sleep alone?
But concerns about risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have prompted public health officials to issue several messages such as: Babies are safest to sleep alone. However that is a misleading slogan. The typical Western bed is not a safe place for a baby to sleep. Children who sleep with caregivers who are exhausted, intoxicated, or on medication are at very high risk of sudden death. In particular, do not let your baby sleep on a chair, sofa, or soft surface with loose bedding.
Baby is not safe when left alone in the room. A study comparing the health outcomes of infants sleeping in a crib with the health outcomes of infants sleeping with their mothers under conditions once common in traditional Japan found that, even under conditions Strict safety conditions - infants still present some minor risk.
To protect the health and safety of babies while sleeping, medical experts recommend that babies sleep in a specially designed crib next to their parents' bed. The items placed in the crib must be really safe for the baby to sleep.

3. When should children sleep alone?

Children should sleep in the same room as their parents for the first 6 months.
Most parents choose to have their babies sleep in a crib or basket next to their bed until the baby is at least 2 months old. You can use the crib to be able to raise and lower them so that they fit your bed. This makes taking care of your baby during the sleeping hours much easier.
Should move the baby to sleep from the crib to its own bed slowly. Start by keeping the crib near your bed, then, if you have the space, move the crib further away.
In addition to sleep problems, babies in the first months of life may have many other problems with eating, digestion, reflux... When these problems persist for a long time, the mother should take the baby. Go to a reputable medical facility for early examination, understand the cause and timely treatment.
=>> Note from Specialist I Nguyen Thi My Linh - Neonatologist - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital: Children sleep alone but must always have an adult beside them. Monitor closely for timely support, especially those with reflux, if not supported in time, the baby can be dangerous due to aspiration of vomit into the airways.

In addition to taking care of the child's sleep, parents also need to pay attention to the nutrition that improves the child's resistance. At the same time, add supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... snacks and less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
Please visit the website Vinmec.com regularly and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.
Reference source: babycenter.com

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