What is the correct sleeping position for babies?

I believe everyone knows the importance of sleep to us. Sleep can not only improve the body's immunity but also allow our body to rest, so everyone must pay attention to this important matter of sleep. The effect of sleep is even more obvious for babies, so we recommend that parents must observe the baby's sleeping position. If the sleeping position is incorrect, parents must help the baby correct it.

Supine sleeping position

Generally, Chinese parents are accustomed to letting their babies sleep in a supine position, which makes it easier for parents to directly observe the baby's facial expression and the baby's limbs can move freely. However, babies are prone to vomiting when lying on their backs. The food that flows back from the stomach to the esophagus will accumulate in the baby's throat and is not easy to be discharged from the mouth. It is more likely to choke the baby's trachea and lungs, causing danger. In addition, it is not good for the baby's breathing. Due to the influence of 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. This is not suitable for infants and young children who already have difficulty breathing.

Prone sleeping position

Parents generally believe that if babies sleep on their stomachs, it can easily hinder their breathing and cause suffocation. In fact, a newborn baby has the ability to defend itself. When lying face down on one side, he will instinctively expose his mouth and nose and breathe comfortably. Sleeping on your stomach actually helps the growth and development of the thorax and lungs. Because the baby's chest presses on the bed when lying on his stomach, the reaction force of the bed just massages the child's thorax and can increase the baby's lung capacity. If the baby vomits, the milk will flow out from the corners of the mouth and the baby will not suffocate due to vomitus being inhaled into the trachea. Parents in Europe and the United States like to let their children sleep in a prone position. Of course, prone sleeping also has some disadvantages: it is not easy for parents to observe the baby's expression; the baby's saliva is easy to flow out; the mouth and nose are easily blocked by external objects such as bedding, causing breathing difficulties; the baby's limbs are inconvenient to move.

Side sleeping position

It is best to sleep on the right side, which can avoid pressure on the heart and prevent vomiting. Especially after feeding, the baby should sleep on the right side, which is conducive to the smooth entry of food in the stomach into the intestines. However, if the baby always sleeps on one side, it is easy to cause asymmetry of the two sides of the face and a flat head, and it may also cause strabismus; and it is not easy for the baby to maintain a side-lying posture.

The three sleeping positions for babies each have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is recommended that babies under one year old should sleep alternately in supine, prone, and side positions, and do not use a fixed position every day. However, the proportion of time used in sleeping positions will vary according to the growth period of the child. It is best for newborns between one and three months old to lie on their backs more often. When turning the child over and using a different position other than lying on his back, it is best to stay by his side to avoid danger. Parents should choose a sleeping position suitable for their baby according to the child's characteristics and different situations. This will not only allow the baby to have a good sleep, but also make the baby's appearance more beautiful and more correct.

In the above article, we introduced the importance of sleep. We recommend that readers pay attention to their sleep. If the quality of sleep decreases, they should find ways to deal with it. Sleep is more important for babies. The above article introduces in detail the correct sleeping posture for babies.