Congratulations!
Pregnancy is such an exciting time for any new parent! While it can seem like there is so much to do and learn, most importantly, take time and enjoy your pregnancy. After all, you only have a few months to wait until you get to meet your new baby!
One of the first things to do is find a support system of friends, family and trusted resources. You will experience many changes throughout the next few months – and years – and you'll need to surround yourself with those who can provide you with trusted support. Of course, we're here to help too!
BabyAge.com, together with the infant health and safety experts at First Candle / SIDS Alliance, have compiled a list of tips and suggestions to help ensure that your baby enjoys a safe first year of life.
First Candle/SIDS Alliance promotes safe pregnancies and the survival of babies through the first years of life. With programs of research, education and advocacy, First Candle is working toward a future where all babies are provided the best possible chance to reach not only their first birthday, but many happy birthdays beyond. Until that goal is reached, First Candle remains committed to providing compassionate grief support to all those affected by the death of a baby. To learn more about First Candle and their mission, click here.
BabyAge.com is the leading online retailer of pregnancy, infant and juvenile products. You can count on us to provide you with the largest selection of high quality, brand name baby bedding, furniture, strollers, car seats, cribs and toys on the Internet. Our goal at BabyAge.com is to provide an exceptional online shopping experience and become the one-stop shopping source for parents and parents-to-be. To learn more about BabyAge.com, click here.
As always, you can contact us if you have any questions or are looking for any additional information.
BabyAge.com
www.babyage.com
Phone: 1-800-BABYAGE
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am - 7pm EST
First Candle
www.firstcandle.org
Phone: 1-800-221-7437
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm EST
Crisis Support Hours: 24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Bilingual crisis counselors are also available.
As soon as pregnancy is confirmed...
Start prenatal care early.
Maintaining good prenatal care for you and your unborn baby, including proper nutrition and frequent medical checkups, is the first step to protecting your baby against SIDS, stillbirth and other causes of infant death. Research shows that some babies are more vulnerable to SIDS than others due to an abnormality in their brainstem that occurs as the fetus is developing. Maternal conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and blood clotting disorders also increase the risk of stillbirth if not detected and treated during pregnancy.
Communicate with your doctor throughout your pregnancy.
Share any concerns you may have about your pregnancy with your doctor, but call immediately if you experience any vaginal bleeding, leakage or sharp pain at any point in your pregnancy. These could be signs of complications that could lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a low birth-weight baby that is at increased risk for SIDS.
Do not smoke during your pregnancy.
Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at 2-3 times higher risk for SIDS and stillbirth, and that risk increases even more with the number of cigarettes smoked. Exposure to second and third hand smoke after birth also puts your baby at increased risk for SIDS and other respiratory illness.
First Trimester
Do your research.
Many changes occur during pregnancy, so it's important to understand these changes and their impact on your body. Talk to friends and family about their experiences and invest in a few good pregnancy books.
Start budgeting for baby.
If you haven't already, outline a budget based on your baby's expected needs for the first year. Be sure to include essentials like diapers, baby food, clothing, doctor visits, prescription drugs and medicine.
Express yourself!
Consider starting a pregnancy diary and having someone take a picture of you (and your expanding belly) each month. Jot down what you are doing and how you are feeling. This activity can help you feel connected to your growing baby and be a treasured keepsake for your little one in the years to come.
Second Trimester
Register for your baby essentials.
Brainstorm on all the possible items you will need when caring for your infant. Break the main essentials into small and large items. For the larger items, remember the crib, stroller, high chair, car seat, clothing, and bedding. However, don’t forget the smaller necessities of the bottles, diapers, and formula.
Besides the essentials that immediately come to mind, also compare the list to your daily activities. After you eat dinner, the dishes get washed. It’s the same after baby eats – you’ll need a bottle brush, bibs, and burping cloths. When preparing for the day, you groom yourself. Register for a baby grooming kit that will hold all necessities. Also, think of the not so ordinary events, like sickness, where a nasal aspirator or digital thermometer would be needed.
Begin to get baby's nursery ready.
When it comes to safe sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental infant deaths, less is best.
All you really need is a safety-approved crib with a firm, tight fitting mattress covered by only a sheet. Cute quilts and comforters can be used as wall-hangings or tummy-time mats and stuffed toys and animals should be displayed in baskets or on shelves.
Be sure to remove any soft or pillow-like bumpers from the crib when baby is sleeping there. You should never use positioners or wedges in your baby’s sleep area as they have not been tested for effectiveness and can be dangerous.
When considering a home nursery monitor, remember that while they may be a great way to monitor noise, activity and temperature in your baby's room, they are not effective at preventing a SIDS death.
For questions or guidance on specific products, please contact:
First Candle at 1-800-221-7437
BabyAge.com at 1-800-BABYAGE
Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772
Providing a safe sleep environment is the single most important step you can take to reduce your baby's risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental infant deaths.
Take time during your second trimester to learn all you can about providing a safe sleep environment for your precious bundle. First Candle and BabyAge.com understand that parents make choices about sleep environments for many different reasons. While we recommend putting your baby to sleep in a safety-approved crib, we encourage you to duplicate the vision created by our safe sleep messages no matter where you choose to put your baby to sleep.
Register for your baby essentials.
Brainstorm on all the possible items you will need when caring for your infant. Break the main essentials into small and large items. For the larger items, remember the crib, stroller, high chair, car seat, clothing, and bedding. However, don’t forget the smaller necessities of the bottles, diapers, and formula.
Besides the essentials that immediately come to mind, also compare the list to your daily schedule. When you eat, you also wash dishes. So you need a bottle brush, bibs, and burping cloths. When preparing for the day, you groom yourself. Register for a baby grooming kit that will hold all necessities. Also, think of the not so ordinary events, like sickness where a nasal aspirator or digital thermometer would be needed.
Third Trimester
Count your baby's kicks.
Your baby moves many times a day. Your baby's kicks are the best sign of his or her health. Many experts agree that monitoring your baby's kicks and noting any changes may help reduce the risk of a stillbirth death. The most important thing to note (and immediately report) is any significant and sustained change in the way your baby normally kicks. If you would like to incorporate "kick counting" into your daily routine, following are some guidelines to consider:
- Pick one quiet time in your day, preferably when the baby is usually most active, and count how many times the baby moves.
- You may want to sit with your feet up or lie on your side.
- Count all baby movements until you reach 10. DO NOT count for more than 2 hours.
- Write down the time it took for the baby to move 10 times. Example: SUNDAY = 45 min.
- In addition to any significant and sustained change, consider calling your obstetric provider if the baby does not move at least 10 times in this two-hour timeframe.
Click here to read more about First Candle Kicks Count! Guidelines.
Consider expanded newborn screening for your baby.
Many newborn screening tests are available to detect possible birth defects, disorders and other conditions that cannot be seen in the newborn but can cause physical problems, mental retardation and in some cases, even death. Laws and regulations on what tests are standard for newborns vary from hospital to hospital, as some hospitals test for as little as four disorders and some for as many as thirty.
You can visit the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center website to find out what tests are required in your state. This site also lists commercial and nonprofit laboratories that provide comprehensive newborn screening for parents considering having their baby tested for more disorders than those screened for in their state.
During your hospital stay...
Begin practicing safe sleep.
Your nurse should be familiar with the importance of placing your baby on his or her back right from birth. If not, share your knowledge! Please pay close attention to safe feeding/safe sleeping practices and the hidden dangers of falling asleep with your baby in an adult bed, sofa, chair or other unsafe sleep area.
Take time to recover.
The first few days after having your baby are time for rest and recuperation, both physically and mentally, at home. Your energy should be focused on getting to know your newborn and taking care of yourself too. Even though you may be receiving many requests for visits from family and friends, try to get as much rest as possible. Don't expect to keep your house perfect and don't try to do too much work around the house. You may realize that all you can really do is sleep, eat and care for your new baby, which is perfectly okay and normal. You must learn to pace yourself from the first day that you return home. Try to take a rest or nap while the baby sleeps safely. Allow others to help you out and never be afraid to ask for help when it comes to cleaning, laundry, meals or advice on caring for your baby.
Welcome Home
You've gone smoke-free for nine months to protect your baby - don't stop now!
Exposure to second and third hand smoke by parents, caregivers and others increases your baby's risk of SIDS and other respiratory illness.
Take care not to overheat your baby.
Overheating is considered to be a leading risk factor for SIDS. Be sure that you don't overheat your baby with too much clothing and/or bedding and keep room temperature at what would be comfortable for a lightly clothed adult. When brining baby in from the outside, remember to remove outwear and other coverings immediately, and do not use blankets or other coverings as a weather or sun screen.
Be sure that caregivers follow your lead.
Ensure that all those that care for your baby understand the importance of providing consistency in your baby's care. Provide them with specific details on your rules for safe sleep, pacifier use, feeding, tummy time, etc.
With so many people caring for the more than 4 million babies born in the United States each year, it is critical that these life-saving messages reach all communities and all populations.
Please share this information with all those caring for your baby or any babies in your community. Working together we can continue to have a significant impact on our country's high rates of infant mortality . . . in the belief that every baby should survive and thrive.
The first 6 months...
Safe sleep is critical during this time - no exceptions!
Refer to the First Candle Safe Sleep Tips for Parents and Caregivers. Babies should sleep in a separate, safe sleep area placed alongside the adult bed for at least the first six months. The sleep area can be a crib, bassinet or co-sleeper. Babies should be placed on their back, on a firm mattress covered with only a sheet and everything else removed from the sleep area.
Supervised tummy time is important!
Since babies spend so much time sleeping on their back, it is critical that you provide exercise time for them to strengthen their upper body muscles (neck, arms and chest). This should be done while they are awake and under supervision.
Start by placing your newborn across your lap for short periods of time, gradually working toward placing them on a quilt or play mat on the floor with toys in front of them. This is also a great way to spend quality time with your baby - on the floor together!
Watch for signs that your baby is tiring and change their position/activity. If your baby falls asleep during tummy-time, immediately place them on their back in their crib for a nap.
Follow immunization schedules!
Be sure to get your baby vaccinated to prevent life-threatening diseases within the first year. If you are unsure of which vaccinations your baby will need, ask your doctor.
What happens when my baby begins to roll over?
Eventually your baby will want to determine his or her own sleep position and may begin rolling to their tummy during sleep. Experts say this is normal, and parents should not disrupt everyone's much needed rest by continually flipping them back. If your baby is determined to sleep on his or her tummy, take extra care to ensure that there is nothing in the sleep area they can get their face next to and try and relax, knowing that you've done everything you can to protect them!
6 months and over...
Your baby is now out of the highest risk period for SIDS, but don't let your guard down.
He or she is also now more active than ever and can scoot, roll and wiggle in every direction. Be certain there is not anything in your baby's sleep area that could cause them to re-breathe oxygen deficient exhaled air or cause accidental suffocation. Items to watch out for include pillows, blankets, comforters, quilts and soft or pillow-like bumpers.
Continue providing your baby with lots of supervised tummy time and enjoy watching your baby explore, learn and grow.
Feel free to contact BabyAge.com or First Candle with any questions on how to keep baby safe through the first year. Remember, we're here to help!
BabyAge.com
www.babyage.com
Phone: 1-800-BABYAGE
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am – 7pm EST
First Candle
www.firstcandle.org
Phone: 1-800-221-7437
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm EST
Crisis Support Hours: 24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Bilingual crisis counselors are also available.
Safe Sleep Tips for Parents and Caregivers
Back is best!
Placing your baby on his or her back (supine) is the only sleep position recommended for babies. Side and stomach positions are not safe alternatives.
Where should my baby sleep?
For at least the first six months, keep your baby's sleep area close to, but separate from, where you sleep. Research shows that being in close proximity to your baby during sleep can greatly reduce the risk of SIDS.
The safest sleep area is a safety-approved crib!
The crib mattress should be firm and fit snuggly in the crib. For parents who prefer other safe alternatives to a crib for their sleeping baby, such as a bassinet, cradle or co-sleeper, please read First Candle's Guidelines for Products Intended for Sleeping Babies.
Is it OK to share a sleep surface?
Remember, adult beds, sofas and chairs are not safe for sleeping babies and can greatly increase the risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental infant deaths. Bring your baby into your bed to feed and bond, but when it's time for sleep place your baby alongside your bed in his or her own separate, safe sleep area.
Never leave soft bedding and blankets in the crib while baby is sleeping.
Anything loose, soft or fluffy left in your baby's sleep area can be dangerous. Take care to remove pillows, blankets, sheepskins, soft or pillow-like bumpers, stuffed toys and other soft objects from your baby's sleep area when placing them down for nap and nighttime sleep.
Keep your baby warm and safe during sleep.
Consider using a wearable blanket or other type sleeper to replace loose blankets in your baby's sleep area. Wearable blankets will help keep your baby warm and safe during sleep.
Never put your baby to sleep on top of any soft surface!
This includes adult beds, waterbeds, sofas, chairs, comforters, sheepskins, pillows or cushions.
Pacifiers can further reduce the risk of SIDS.
Experts recommend giving your baby a pacifier every time you place them down to sleep. By following the First Candle Guidelines for Pacifier Use parents and caregivers can avoid concerns about breastfeeding challenges and long-term dental complications.
It's time to start feeding.
If you choose to breastfeed, take advantage of this quality one-on-one time to introduce the breast and begin to establish breastfeeding as your baby's primary feeding method. Identify resources within your hospital and community that can provide support and ensure success. Many new mothers use manual or electric breast pumps that provide everything necessary for breast feeding preparation when at home or on-the-go.
Some mothers are unable to breastfeed or choose to feed with baby formula. Choosing a right formula can mean the difference between a healthy, happy baby and one that's colicky, gassy or fussy.
Can swaddling be helpful and is it safe?
Experts feel that swaddling can be helpful for some newborns by making them more comfortable and secure when sleeping on their back. It may help ease the symptoms of colic as well. Take care to swaddle properly and securely, but not too tightly. It is important that the blanket not come loose and pose a danger to the baby. Once your baby becomes wiggly and squiggly, it might be a good time to discontinue swaddling.
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