Introduction to sleeping positions for newborns

Everyone's sleeping position is different. The correct sleeping position is lying flat, which will not harm the body in any aspect. Many people like to sleep on their stomachs. This practice has a great impact on their own breathing, and sleeping on their stomachs frequently will also cause damage to the internal organs. So what are the sleeping positions for newborns? Many people are not clear about this. The following is a detailed introduction.

Newborn sleeping position:

Sleeping on your side

What are the advantages?

* When the baby sleeps on the right side, it helps food to move smoothly from the stomach into the intestines, making the digestion process smoother. If milk spitting up occurs, vomitus will flow out from the corners of the mouth and will not cause suffocation.

* Lying on your side can reduce the retention of throat secretions and make your baby's airway more unobstructed.

What are the downsides?

* Your baby's body is short and round, so it is not easy for him to maintain a side-lying position. He needs your help. You can use pillows to support the baby's body on both sides, but the pillows should not be too high to avoid covering the baby's mouth and nose.

* The sutures of the skull of a newborn baby have not yet completely closed and have great plasticity. If the baby lies on his side in one direction for a long time, it will easily affect the shape of the baby's head and face, causing asymmetry on both sides of the face, so you need to change directions frequently. Generally, babies often like to turn their heads towards the side where their mother is or in a bright direction. You can cater to their preferences and help them adjust the direction of lying on their side frequently.

* When letting your baby lie on his side, don’t forget to check whether his earlobes are facing backwards to avoid him having protruding ears.

Sleeping on your back

What are the advantages?

* When your baby sleeps on his back, it is conducive to emotional communication and parent-child interaction between you and your baby, and you can directly and clearly observe the changes in your baby's facial expressions. If your baby spit up milk or regurgitates milk, you can also discover it in time and deal with it in time. Of course, sleeping on his back also helps him understand the world around him and his family.

* When the baby lies flat on the bed, the area of ​​the body in contact with the bed is the largest, which is conducive to muscle relaxation and will not cause compression of the internal organs. The internal organs can move with less burden, and the hands and feet can move freely without restraint, which is conducive to the motor development of the limbs.

What are the downsides?

* If the baby is allowed to sleep on his back for a long time, the shape of his head will be affected, resulting in a small front-to-back diameter and a large left-to-right diameter, that is, slightly bulging temples on both sides and a flatter back of the head. This head shape is more preferred by people in the Northerners, while people in the Southerners or Western countries may not appreciate this type of head shape. They may appreciate the look of "an adze in front and a spoon in the back" more.

* The supine sleeping position is not suitable for babies who are prone to vomiting or regurgitation of milk, because when lying flat, the refluxed food accumulates in the throat and cannot be discharged from the mouth. It is easy for it to choke into the trachea and lungs, causing danger. Therefore, after feeding your baby, you should burp him first to expel the gas to prevent him from spitting up milk. Babies who are prone to spitting up must be supervised when they sleep on their backs. Once the baby is found spitting up, the baby must be picked up immediately to prevent vomit from entering the trachea.

* Do not let your baby place his hands on his chest when lying on his back, otherwise it will compress the internal organs and make the baby uncomfortable.

Sleeping on your stomach

What are the advantages?

* When the baby sleeps on his stomach, even if he spits up milk, the spitted out will flow out from the corners of his mouth and generally will not be inhaled into the trachea and cause suffocation.

* When the baby sleeps on his stomach, the back of his head will not be compressed, making it easier to shape the back of his head into a round shape.

What are the downsides?

* When the baby sleeps on his stomach, it is difficult for him to swallow his saliva, which can easily cause drooling. Because the baby's head is relatively large and the neck strength is insufficient, he cannot turn his head or roll over at will, and his mouth and nose can easily be blocked by pillows, towels, bedding, etc., which poses a risk of suffocation. In addition, when the baby sleeps on his stomach, his neck is twisted, which will aggravate the folding and collapse of the upper airway, causing airway obstruction and suffocation. So, if you want your baby to sleep on his stomach, the bed should not be too soft, do not use pillows, and there should be someone to watch over him. Considering the potential hazard of suffocation when sleeping prone, it is not recommended in China to let babies under one year old, especially those who cannot roll over, sleep prone.

* When lying prone, the baby's hands and feet are under pressure, making them inflexible. Sometimes they may become numb due to prolonged pressure, causing the baby to cry.

So, which sleeping position is the best? In fact, alternating sleeping positions is the most ideal. Because the baby's skull is soft, if he adopts the same sleeping position for a long time, it will affect his head and face shape. It is best to alternate between lying on your back and lying on your side. Under the close supervision of family members, you can let your baby lie on his stomach for a short period of time. This will not only allow the baby to grow safely and healthily, but also help him develop a beautiful head and face shape when he sleeps.

After understanding the sleeping posture of newborns, mothers should pay attention to these situations when raising their babies. When the baby's sleeping posture is abnormal, it should be improved in time, otherwise it will easily cause physical problems to the baby, which is a great threat to the baby's health. Mothers should also pay attention to this.