Your baby's sleep

Rooming-in

Room-in means that you and the baby stay together day and night. That way you get to know your child's needs well. Rooming-in promotes breastfeeding. In addition, rooming-in is recommended by experts because the natural wakefulness of parents reduces the risk of SIDS. it is advised to put the cot in your bedroom for the first six months.

Bedtime

The time between tired and overtired is very short. Your baby sleeps badly when he is overtired. Therefore, put your child to bed as soon as you work that your baby is tired. This can be difficult to recognize in a newborn baby. A newborn baby is always awake for about 45 minutes. you can possibly keep that time.

Own bed

No matter where you lie, never put your baby with you when you sleep. Certainly up to six months, the risk of SIDS is high. You can get Jan too hot because of the duvet, get trapped between mattresses, fall out of bed or press his face against pillows. In addition, a sleeping parent can roll over on the child.

Pacifier

Pacifiers come in all shapes and sizes, with and without a ring. The pacifier offers a solution to meet the sucking needs of babies. However, the advice is to give priority to breastfeeding, let that get started first. Only use a pacifier after four weeks of breastfeeding, earlier there is a risk of missing a feeding moment. Do not use the pacifier inappropriately, but only to calm your baby or as a sleeping aid.

Rhythm

The number of hours of sleep needed can be different for every baby. When your baby is a few weeks old, he sleeps twelve to fifteen hours every 24 hours. Rest and regularity when sleeping is important. When your baby is born, he does not yet have a day and night rhythm. The rhythm itself is usually reversed. It takes some time to get used to this. At least six weeks.

TIPS

• Keep the sleeping place light during the day and dark at night (except for a night light if necessary)
• During the day you don't necessarily have to be quiet while sleeping
• During the day you can cuddle and chat
• If your child wakes up at night, use minimal light and don't make it too cozy
• Try to put your baby to bed tired but awake (especially in the long term).

Bedding and clothes

Bedding: preferably use a cotton sheet and, depending on the season, one or two cotton or wool blankets. Do not use a duvet and a blanket in a cover is also unsafe.
Sleeping bag: A sleeping bag covers your baby safely. His head can't get under the bedding, he can't turn on his stomach, or climb out of bed when he's older. Get the right size sleeping bag. The armholes and neck opening should not be too big, otherwise your child could still crawl out of the sleeping bag.

Clothes: in the beginning, the clothes for day and night do not differ much from each other, although a cotton pijama or suit is most suitable for the night.

Swaddle

Swaddling is not recommended for newborns; you can miss nutritional signals.

The swaddling is literal; wrapping a baby in swaddling clothes from shoulders to feet to limit his own movements so that he can more easily surrender to sleep. Swaddling can be risky, so only do it in consultation with an expert, via the consultation bureau.

Sleeping position

Always let your baby sleep on his back. A baby rolls too easily onto his stomach from a side position. Only when he spits you put him on his side, in consultation with the maternity nurse or midwife. Make sure that your baby does not develop a preferred position, because he only puts his head to the left or to the right. After feeding, lay the baby alternately turned to the left or right with his head.

Make bed

You make up the bed briefly. This means that the baby will lie with his feet against the foot of the bed. Tuck the sheet and blanket tightly around the sides and bottom of the mattress. If it is too loose, your baby can easily squeeze under or into the loose bedding. The baby feels safe under a tight slat. Please note when tucking the sheet and blanket under the mattress: that it does not lift the mattress in such a way that the baby ends up lying with his feet up (and therefore with his head down). At the level of his head you can put a hydrophilic diaper around the mattress, against spitting. Stuck under the mattress.

Temperature

A sleeping area that is too warm is not good for your child. 18C is a good temperature. Make sure your child is not in a draft. If you are unsure whether your baby is too hot or too cold, feel his neck. That gives the best temperature on his body. Ventilate the room well when your child is not in bed.