First time moms-to-be can never imagine the kind of situation that they will find themselves in after the delivery of their child. They are so tired of their large belly that they are often ready for the birth. Little do these women realize that once the baby is delivered, there will be sleepless nights and constant work.

Handling newborns comes slowly but surely. For some it comes naturally, and others need to work towards getting the technique right. Some learn by themselves and others seek guidance their mothers, grandmothers, and friends.

Not all aspects of raising babies come naturally. Some aspects require the new mom to seek information and recommendations from specialists. One such area where you should approach a specialist and practice what the latest standards are is in the area of baby safety.

The following are some safety precautions and suggestions that mothers should follow:

• Babies should sleep on their backs.
• Loose material should not be kept in the crib.
• Only organic products should be bought for the baby.
• The mattress should be firm and support the back.
• Ensure that there are no gaps between the crib walls and the mattress.
• Choose a sleepsack instead a blanket.

A sleepsack is definitely safer than a blanket. It protects the baby against accidents, covering his face by mistake and re-breathing. Covering the face with a blanket or loose sheet may be associated with sudden infant deaths.

At the same time, it can be argued that newborns are hardly strong enough to move a blanket, which is a relatively heavy object. For newborns, the threat of suffocation is more from sleeping on their stomachs and burrowing their face in soft mattresses and pillows.

Ideally, you should wait until the baby is two to three months old to use a sleepsack, which is the time that most babies start rolling over and kicking. In many cases, the baby is swaddled until this time. Although most of the sleepsacks available are meant for babies weighing 10 lbs and above, a weight many babies reach soon after they are born, the benefits that a sleepsack provides is derived only after a baby’s arm and leg movement is capable of moving sheets and blankets over his head.

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