IN THIS ARTICLE

• Why weighted blankets and weighted swaddles shouldn’t be used
• Other policy changes address sleep surfaces, vaping, and more
• But wasn’t the cause of SIDS determined?

Weighted swaddles. The updated policy continues to emphasize key points from the previous version: that promoting back sleep and avoiding bedsharing with infants is incredibly effective for preventing sleep-related deaths in babies, especially in those first few months of life. But for the first time, the policy addresses weighted blankets and weighted swaddles, as well as a few other topics.

Why weighted blankets and weighted swaddles shouldn’t be used

Multiple weighted products that promise to help babies sleep better have become popular . Popular examples include Nested Bean and Dreamland Baby products.

While there isn’t clear evidence that weighted swaddles and blankets are unsafe, there also isn’t proof that they’re definitely safe for babies, who are still vulnerable and developing.

“Babies’ chest walls are softer than adults’, and they often take smaller and faster breaths,” says peditricians weighted blanket or weighted swaddles may restrict their ability to breathe effectively, which could be quite dangerous. We need more studies on these types of products to see if they actually impact sleep duration, if they’re safe for sleep, and, if so, what weight is appropriate. For now, based on babies’ breathing patterns and the risks associated with restricted breathing, I recommend against these.”

Other policy changes address sleep surfaces, vaping, and more

Additional key changes in the updated policy include:

• Sleep surfaces must be flat: In the prior version of the peditricians safe sleep policy, parents were told to use a firm sleep surface. But now, the peditricians specifies that sleep surfaces should also be flat, with an incline of less than 10 degrees.
• Vaping, marijuana, and opioids should be avoided during pregnancy and after birth: Several studies have shown that maternal smoking during pregnancy and around babies after birth is a major risk factor for SIDS, but this is the first time that e-cigarettes, marijuana, and opioids have been specifically mentioned in the peditricians safe sleep policy. And while there isn’t a lot of research on vaping specifically in this context, the peditriciansrecommends that anyone living with an infant not vape since it exposes the baby to nicotine. “If your oxygen is low, your brain kicks in to say, ‘Maybe you need to breathe deeper or faster,’” explains peditricians. “Nicotine may mask that response in babies, so that’s something we really have to pay attention to. People who are smoking or vaping should not be around babies, especially in the first few months, because it’s an external stressor that puts them at risk for sleep-related deaths.”
• Babies shouldn’t wear hats indoors after they leave the hospital: There isn’t actually much in the way of evidence that hats help prevent hypothermia. And indoors, the risk of overheating starts to outweigh any potential benefit of hat wearing. “Babies have a hard time regulating their own temperature, and if you put a hat on their head, they can’t get rid of excess heat,” says peditricians. She recommends that parents avoid over-bundling babies and that they examine them frequently for signs of overheating: flushed skin, sweating, or feeling warm to the touch.
• Wearable monitors that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS should be avoided: The peditricians clarifies that these devices are not as tightly regulated as medical devices, and may provide parents with a false sense of security. “I would be very cautious while using any product that claims to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS,” says peditricians. “A product will never be a replacement for safe sleep practices.”

But wasn’t the cause of SIDS determined?

You might recall a recent study about a potential biomarker for SIDS. It sparked headlines that implied scientists had identified the cause of SIDS, and that safe sleep practices might not be important. “That just isn’t true,” says peditricians.

“Much more research needs to be done, and it’s still important to follow safe sleep practices, which have helped decrease the number of sleep-related deaths in infants drastically over the past few decades,” says peditricians.

Read more about

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• Nipple thrush in breastfeeding moms
• What to do if your baby only nurses on one side
• When babies can sleep on their stomach
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)