4MOMS GoodNight User Manual - page 8
• For a slightly older infant or toddler, a “lovey”, a special blanket or stuffed
animal, that has a familiar smell can help baby feel secure and cozy in bed. Make
sure that whatever you choose is safe for infants with no small parts that can fall
off and become choking hazards. Also, follow all the guidelines for preventing
SIDS and avoid any stuffed animal that can cover a young child’s face. Talk to
your pediatrician for more suggestions on a lovey. Our advice—a lovey can be
worth it’s weight in gold, so make sure you buy a stunt double so that you can
wash the lovey and have a replacement in case one gets lost.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents consider using a
pacifier at nap time and bedtime during the first year because pacifier use during
sleep is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS. This is a decision that’s up to you.
A pacifier can help an infant settle down to sleep, but if you introduce this sleep
association now, you will eventually have to break your toddler of this sleep
association.
• Avoid offering food or drink to your child while he or she is going to sleep. This
can eventually lead to cavities in your child’s teeth. Also, eating when not
hungry (just to help to fall asleep) is an unhealthy habit, and perhaps one reason
poor sleep habits have been linked to childhood obesity.
• Avoid sleep associations with being held or rocked to sleep, driving around in
the car, or sleeping in a swing. None of these sleep associations are sustainable
(unless you’re planning on sending your child on a long space mission) and all
are outside your child’s control.
• Avoid being present in the same room as your child as he or she falls asleep
unless you plan on being present all the time he or she is asleep for a long time
(several years). Remember—your child will expect to find everything the same
as when he or she dozed off every time they wake during their sleep cycle.
• ALWAYS PUT YOUR CHILD TO SLEEP ON THEIR BACK! Putting a child to
sleep on their side or stomach increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome or SIDS. See the Appendix for other SIDS prevention tips from the
American Academy of Pediatrics.