Making choices is an important part of becoming a parent. Parents have to deal with several tough decisions and one of them is whether a baby should sleep with their parents at night or not.
You may have already prepared a place for your baby to sleep but some babies may want to sleep with you.
Baby only sleeps on my chest at night; it is a situation many parents go through. There is no doubt holding a baby close to your chest creates a sacred bond with your baby but is it really safe to let your baby sleep on your chest?
When it comes to newborns, there is a lot of confusion regarding their safety.
Continue reading to learn everything about safe sleeping for your baby.
Table of Contents
Baby only sleeps on my chest at night
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), you can let your baby sleep on your chest only when you are awake. The AAP warns that if you fall asleep when your baby is sleeping on your chest can greatly increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Holding your baby close to your chest is a powerful bonding experience that is safe only when you are awake. Babies should not be allowed to sleep on their parents’ chests as it can increase the risk of tragedies like SIDS.
Should infants be allowed to sleep on your chest?
Infants must not sleep on their parent’s chest as this can enhance the probability of unfortunate incidences such as sudden infant death syndrome. The best way is to establish a rule of not allowing your little one to sleep on your chest.
Letting your baby sleep on your chest is a good way to create a bond with your baby but it can be dangerous.
Besides increasing the chances of SIDS, it can also enhance the risk of suffocation or accidents.
How and Where Should a Newborn Sleep?
As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, the safest place for newborns to sleep is on a flat and firm surface in their parent’s bedroom. To lower the risks of SIDS, babies must be put on their backs to sleep.
Bassinets, play yards, cribs, and portable cribs are all suggested as long as they don’t have any soft objects such as toys, blankets, bumpers, toys, and bedding.
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What to do when your baby only wants to sleep on your chest?
Here are different ways to try that will help you when your baby only sleeps on your chest.
Swaddling: Swaddling is a good way to help your baby sleep away from you. In the womb, a baby experiences very comforting and snug feelings. Wrapping or swaddling your baby help mimic the same feeling to an extent and helps them sleep better.
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Zipadee-Zip: In case swaddling didn’t help, you can try a Zipadee-Zip. It is a good swaddle transition product that helps soothe the startle reflex and will work to ensure sounder sleep.
Try heartbeat white noise: Your baby may want to sleep on your chest due to the sound and rhythm of your heartbeat. Thinking that it’s the mom who is carrying the baby, your little one will sleep with a heartbeat sound for many months. So, try using a white noise machine with a heartbeat sound.
Conclusion
Baby only sleeps on my chest at night! If you are going through this situation, you can practice one of the strategies discussed in this article. I hope that these suggestions are helpful to you.
The AAP gives the green light on allowing your little one to sleep on your chest as long as you are awake. But the risk of you accidentally falling asleep is high.
So, enjoy those cuddles when you know you will not go to sleep.
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