What is the correct sleeping position for babies?

We know that the birth of a baby into the world is something that makes many families feel particularly happy, but with the arrival of the baby, many families will also face different problems in taking care of the baby. Among them, the baby’s sleeping position is the most important one. Only by ensuring a good sleeping position can the baby grow up healthily, and it also plays a vital role in the baby’s head shape, so it is necessary for us to understand what the baby’s correct sleeping position is.

Correct sleeping position for babies

1. Supine sleeping position: Generally, parents are accustomed to letting their babies sleep in a supine position. When sleeping in a supine position, it is convenient for parents to directly observe the baby's facial expression. The baby's head is low and flat, forming the so-called "square head and big face". The baby's internal organs are less pressed, and the baby's limbs can move freely.

Characteristics of lying on your back: 1. It is not good for the baby's breathing. Due to gravity, the throat will block the free flow of respiratory air in and out of the trachea. Once the airflow resistance increases, the baby's breathing will have noise (snoring) when sleeping on his back, causing breathing difficulties. It is not suitable for infants and young children who already have difficulty breathing; 2. The baby is prone to vomiting. After the food refluxes from the stomach to the esophagus is vomited out, it will accumulate in the baby's throat and is not easy to be discharged from the mouth. It is easier to choke into the trachea and lungs, causing danger; 3. The more vulnerable side of the baby's body is exposed, it is easy to catch cold, and there is also psychological insecurity, which is not easy to get used to.

2. Side sleeping position: It is best to let the baby lie on the right side, which can avoid pressure on the heart and prevent vomiting. Especially after feeding, the baby should be placed on the right side, which is conducive to the smooth entry of food in the stomach into the intestines, and even if milk spitting up occurs, it will not cause suffocation.

Disadvantages of side sleeping: 1. If you always sleep on your side, it is easy for the two sides of the face to develop asymmetrically and the head to be crooked and flat, and it may also cause strabismus; 2. It is not easy for the baby to maintain a side-lying posture; 3. Sleeping on the left side can easily cause vomiting or regurgitation of milk.

3. Prone sleeping position: Parents have always had a prejudice that sleeping on the baby's stomach can easily hinder the baby's breathing and cause suffocation. In fact, the newborn has the ability to defend itself. When he lies on his stomach with his face facing one side, he will instinctively expose his mouth and nose and breathe comfortably. Sleeping on your stomach will not affect the development of the chest and lungs. On the contrary, it helps the growth and development of the thorax and lungs. Because the baby's chest presses against the bed when lying on his stomach, the bed will give a reaction pressure which just massages the baby's thorax, can increase the baby's lung capacity, promote the development and maturation of the respiratory system, especially for newborns who are less than one month old. If a baby vomits up, the milk will flow out from the corners of his mouth, so there is no risk of suffocation due to vomitus being inhaled into the trachea. Therefore, many countries prefer to let children sleep in a prone position.

Characteristics of prone position: 1. It is not easy for parents to observe the baby's skin color and expression; 2. It is easy for the baby to swallow saliva, causing saliva to flow out; 3. The mouth and nose are easily blocked by external objects such as bedding, causing breathing difficulties; 4. It is inconvenient for the baby to move his limbs.

The three sleeping positions for babies each have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is really a headache for young parents to choose which one to make. According to experts' advice, babies, especially those under one year old, should alternate between sleeping on their backs, stomachs and sides. They should not always sleep in the same position every day. If there is no one to take care of the baby at all times, the baby should sleep on his back. If there is someone to take care of the baby, the baby should sleep on his stomach. When the baby is sick (such as with a cold or fever), his physical strength and muscles will become weak, so it is best to sleep on his back.

Taking care of a baby is not an easy task. The above is an introduction to the baby's correct sleeping position. Therefore, parents must master the baby's correct sleeping position when the baby is sleeping, and do not use the traditional candle bag to tie the baby, which will also have a certain impact on the baby's bones and growth and development.