Two months ago we commented that experts indicate that the safest way to sleep for a baby is supine, in the crib and near the parents' bed. The subject of the crib, the bed and the bed is difficult to define because every time a study comes out saying that it is dangerous, another one appears saying the opposite. But nevertheless, putting the baby on his back is something no one discusses.
It is a recommendation that has existed since 1992, that is, 22 years ago, with which it was possible to reduce sudden death rates by up to 50%. However, although it takes time in popular and medical knowledge, a study conducted in the US showed that the third part of the parents puts them to sleep in a wrong position, thus increasing the risk of sudden death.
Study Data
To do the study, they analyzed data from almost 400,000 babies. In it they saw that there were areas where only half of the babies slept well, as in the state of Alabama, where worse, and areas where the rate improved, such as Wisconsin, where they did better, with 81% of babies sleeping in position correct. They also saw that when they analyzed the data of premature babies, the number of babies sleeping on their backs was lower, that is, with those who are most at risk, because they are premature, worse do.
This is very worrying, as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is responsible for more deaths in babies from one month to a year than all other causes. Only in 2010 were accounted for 2,000 baby deaths In U.S.A. for that reason.
In the words of Dr. Sunah Hwang, author of the study:
Since the supine position of the back to sleep significantly reduces the risk of SIDS, it is worrying that only two-thirds of full-term babies born in the US stand on your back to sleep ... Although the exact cause of SIDS is not yet known, we know that safe sleep practices, such as sleeping on your back, reduce the risk of infant death in the first year of life.
Face up or sideways?
I don't know why, in hospitals, at least in my area, mothers are convinced that babies have to sleep on their side. On the side and with a roll or anti-tip on the back to prevent them from facing up. It makes no sense, but I find the job later in the consultation explaining that the best position is precisely one of those that are trying to avoid: babies have to sleep on their backs with their heads tilted.
Because of the shape of the babies' head, oval, and the lack of muscle tone in the neck, the head falls to one side or the other. The reason that the head has to be tilted is that in case of regurgitation, the milk can go outside without returning, by gravity, to the throat. He would only put a baby to sleep on his side, and with something that does not allow him to turn, in case had a habit of sleeping looking at the ceiling, just in case. But in the rest of the cases, most babies have to sleep on their backs with their heads on either side, changing sides after each shot, or every so often, so that plagiocephaly does not occur and to avoid vicious postures ( if you always have your head to one side the neck gets used to that position and then the baby has trouble looking the other way).
