How to Avoid the Baby Sleep Mistakes Parents Often Make

(Source: http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/babysleep.html)

If baby sleep was an exact science, we'd probably all find parenting a whole lot easier.

Unfortunately, there's no rule book and what works for one baby doesn't always for another. When it comes to bedtime, however, there are somevery common mistakes that parents – especially – new ones make. Some of the most common mistakes simply create bad habits for the baby down the road, but others can be downright dangerous.

Of course, there are also things we know that work. And many parents confirmed this.

Well, I've compiled a 6-day mini-course "Your Baby Can Sleep Through the Night... Every Night" to capture some practical, proven ways for getting getting your baby to sleep. It's free. Click here, to see what's covered.

Safety Mistakes To Avoid

In their haste and even desperation to catch a few winks of sleep themselves, many new parents often overlook basic safety rules. The mistakes to avoid in this category are worth paying attention to. Unfortunately, sometimes a baby's life depends on the right steps being taken.

4 Common Bedtime Mistakes to Avoid

• Putting her down on her stomach or side. It is incredibly tempting to do this, especially if a baby has a particular aversion to sleeping on her back. With Sudden Infant Death Syndrome so heavily correlated to side and stomach sleeping positions, it is just not worth taking this risk. Use a baby sleep positioner to ensure she's safe and consider finding other alternatives to help her rest right if she's having trouble in the back-only position.

• Putting her in bed with Mom and Dad. Oh, this one is ever so tempting. It can be incredibly hard to put a baby down in her own crib or bassinette. This is especially the case if you know she's only going to wake up in an hour or two anyway. Still, this is a very dangerous choice to make – especially for a newborn. Everything from your blankets and pillows to your own body create major threats for a baby who cannot yet roll over. Think very carefully about the risks involved in this before moving forward.

  
  

• Leaving her where she lies. Again, this is rather tempting when sleep has been erratic for weeks on end. Still, if baby falls asleep on the floor, the couch or another unsafe spot, leaving her is not a good idea. It is possible for someone else in the home not to notice her. It's also possible she'll roll off or over. If she falls asleep in her swing, car seat, bouncy seat or play pen, that's another story. Do not, however, leave her where she's unprotected.

  
  

• Not reading labels. Every stitch of nighttime clothing and bedding should be inspected at the label. These items should be flame retardant. Make sure you know exactly what is going on a baby at night and in her crib to avoid a mistake that has no turning back point.