Trust me on this you guys, don’t make this transition from bassinet to crib more complicated than you need to! There is very little difference between your little one sleeping in a bassinet and a crib. Figure out when you’re going to do it, prep for it, and then do it. Give your baby some grace while they adjust and you’ll be just fine!

Why make the transition from bassinet to crib?

The bassinet is a great safe sleep space for your newborn (though it’s also perfectly safe to put your baby in a crib or pack n play from day 1 as well). Oftentimes, families who use a bassinet decide to transition out because they want to move their child to their own room and don’t have room for a crib in their room OR because their child has outgrown the limits of the bassinet.

It’s really important to read your bassinet manual and see when it says to move baby out of the bassinet. Depending on the brand, it may have a weight limit or a skill limit (able to roll/crawl) so be sure to check your individual manual for the safest limits. 

To read more about room sharing and baby sleep safety, see this post: Room Sharing with Baby: Tips to Make it Work

How to make the transition from bassinet to crib?

I want to reiterate, don’t make this more complicated or stressful than it needs to be. There will be very little difference between the bassinet and the crib. If you’re moving your baby from their bassinet in your room to their crib in their nursery, you can move the bassinet into that room for a couple days before you transition to the crib.

It’s also worth taking the crib sheet that you will be using and getting it to smell familiar before that first night. This may mean laying it on the floor and doing tummy time with baby on it during the day. Or taking the sheet and stuffing it down your shirt for an hour or so before putting it on the crib mattress. This just helps to add another layer of familiarity for baby.

If you are really nervous about this transition or you find your baby does really struggle, you can use the bassinet halfway through the night if needed. Then keep pushing forward so that within a few nights your baby is sleeping 100% of the night in their crib.

Other tips for the transition from bassinet to crib:

Avoid introducing crib bumpers when you switch to a crib. These are not safe (yes, even mesh ones are unsafe). Your baby will adjust to the crib slats and being able to move around more. Bonking their head or limbs on the crib (while unpleasant) is not going to do any lasting damage and is not worth the risk of using bumpers.

If worse comes to worse and you’ve given your baby a week or two to adjust and they just keep getting stuck in the crib slats, switch to a pack n play until they are better in control of their body. This is a simple fix as many families already have a pack n play for travel purposes and there is no issue with a child sleeping exclusively in a pack n play. 

 

 

October is Safe Sleep month and SIDS Awareness month so we thought it would be helpful to go over the 6 common misconceptions we hear about safe sleep. We also talk about the difference between SIDS (also known as SUID) and ASSB.

6 Misconceptions:

1. If I don't room share, my baby is at a higher risk.
2. I have to buy a super expensive mattress for better breathability.
3. Bed sharing is safe as long as I follow the Safe Sleep 7.
4. It's okay to put my baby in XYZ to sleep as long as it's supervised.
5. Mesh bumpers are safe to use because they are breathable.
6. Anything and everything marketed for sleep is safe to use for sleeping.

Related links:

Safe Sleep Basics blog- https://allthesleeps.com/safe-sleep-basics

Safe Infant Sleep FB group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/SafeInfantSleep

Safe Infant Sleep Recommended Products- https://www.safeinfantsleep.org/copy-of-resources

Click here for a quick link to your desired podcast app

Today we are going to be talking about safe sleep. October is safe sleep month and SIDS Awareness Month. And so we thought we would kind of dive into just the six misconceptions about safe sleep, but also about the importance of safe sleep. So Carianna Take it away when we're

talking about SIDS. And SIDS is also referred to sometimes as su ID, which is sudden unexpected infant death. So you may hear of interchangeably sometimes, basically just means that we can't clearly state what caused the infant's death. And this is in little ones that are 12 months and under. But then there's also another facet to safe sleep besides SIDS. And that is just death that can happen during sleep. And so oftentimes, that is referred to as a SSB, or accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. So there's kind of two sides to this coin. Not only do we want to practice safe sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS, but also to prevent a SSB deaths as well. So I know today is kind of a tough, tough topic. Not necessarily fun to think about. But I do believe it's really important to be informed so that we can make the decisions that are right for our family. And so before I kind of jump in, I do just want to make sure if you don't practice safe sleep, maybe it's because you didn't know what you're doing is unsafe. Or maybe you did know that it's not the safest option, and you still are choosing to do it. This is not meant to be judgmental or shaming, we just want to make sure that everyone has the facts so they can make their own decisions. Because if you listen to our episode from a couple weeks ago, you know Kayla and I both did unsafe sleep practices as well. So yes, we're right there, right there in the same boat with you. And some of those were things that we just didn't know better. And some of them were things that we probably did know better and still chose to make those decisions. So we get that. But we just want to make sure you have all the info possible. Okay, so I think maybe let's just do a quick refresh of the basics of safe sleep. Before we get into some of these misconceptions. The ABCs are what I like to use, because they're really easy to remember. And these are kind of the core safe sleep, things that we can do. They are what we call preventative factors, and they reduce the risk of SIDS. And they will totally prevent a SSB. If you're following these safe these ABCs of safe sleep. Okay, so A is for alone. So we always want your baby to sleep alone without blankets or pillows or pets or siblings or other family members parents in their sleep space, we want them to be totally alone in their sleep space. B is for back so we always want to place them on their back to sleep. And once they're old enough where they can roll and get to their side or their tummy, then that's okay for them to sleep there. But until they can move to that position on their own, we always always start them on their back and keep them on their back. And then C is for crib. But this could also be bassinet or pack and play basically a flat, firmer surface for them to sleep on. So shouldn't be sleeping on couches, or DACA tots or adult mattresses or car seats or swings or you name it, it should just be a flat firm surface for them to sleep on. So those are the basics.

Okay, and since now we know the basics, we're gonna go ahead and share with you the six common misconceptions. So the first one is, if I don't share my baby, is that higher risk?

Yes, and I hear this one a lot. And there can be some confusion because there are so many recommendations out there. So the ABCs that we just talked about, those are preventative measures that you can take that directly reduce the risk of SIDS or assp. Now room sharing is falls under the protective factor categories. So that's also with things like pacifiers are a protective factor. What we know is that if you don't room share, or if you don't use the pacifier that does not increase

crease your risk of a SIDS event happening. So if you choose not to room share and from day one, your child goes into their own crib in their own room, you are not increasing their risk in any way. I sometimes use this analogy and you may have heard this before, of a broom sharing is like wearing a seatbelt. So wearing a seatbelt would protect me if I got into a car accident. But wearing a seatbelt does not keep me from getting into a car accident in the first place. So that's kind of how you can look at room sharing. And what I will add and this is purely anecdotal, but sometimes with some families, I find that room sharing almost leads to more unsafe sleep habits and to not following the ABCs which are kind of the gold standard. Because the child is right there next to them in the room, it's so much easier in the middle of the night to just grab them and pull them into bed with you

and to make an unsafe choice that is a much bigger deal than if they were in their room across the hall. So every family kind of needs to decide that you know for themselves what Kayla, what did you guys do as far as room sharing those? Well, as I think a couple podcasts ago, I talked about Ellis and how he slept on us for the first three months because he had really awful reflux but so I mean that right there, not the safest choice. And then with Amory, he did

just fine in a bassinet right next to our bed. So he started at

a bassinet, and then we moved him to a crib in our room. And then we moved him into his own room. He was he was he actually we, we follow the rules way better with a second. I think that's how a lot of people's experience goes, you know? Alright, and the second common misconception is I have to buy a super expensive mattress for better breathability Have you seen those? Really? I was I just sent you one not that long ago. That's like, kind of like birds nestie like it. It's like newly the mattress is new Italy. I don't know what they're called. But I think supposedly supposed to be better because your kid can be face down and breathe through it or something.

And it's very expensive. I don't Yeah, I don't want to shame any companies. But it was just like, I'd sent it to carry on and I was just like, Can you imagine? I don't know I we didn't spend that much. No, we're cheap. So we are also cheap, but you do not have to have a super expensive mattress for it to be safe and I am just gonna come out and say I remember I think the company that you sent me I know the one that I'm familiar with is Newton and they can run like three to $500 for a mattress which is insane in my opinion. And we're going to talk about this a little more with another misconception but breathe ability is very much a marketing term and it is not something that is like governed by any organization or that is like testable or provable it's literally not measured, right? Yeah, yeah, it's not measurable. It's just this company decided we're going to use the term breathable and they put that on there and parents like lap it up. Yeah. So know that those mattresses are not safer. A crib mattress which we kind of talked about that flat firm space crib mattresses are made to be flat and firm. And so they're not going to conform to your child's nose and mouth if they are rolling over and you know face planting in the mattress so any certified crib mattress is fine. You do not have to spend top dollar

to have a safe sleeping space. All right, and then the third one is and I've actually never heard of these though. I'll be excited to hear bed sharing as safe as long

as I follow the safe sleep seven and the seven are nonsmoker sober or unimpaired breastfeeding, healthy and full term on back quietly dressed and safe service. Yes and what they oh I'm gonna get a lot of I may get flack for this but this is often an argument like oh bedsharing safe as long as you follow the safe sleep seven and while I will definitely give it to you that that makes it safer if we're following these things. It is still not safe. It is not the gold standard. It is not What we know is going to reduce the risk of SIDS and prevent a SSB that's not the case. So safer Yes. And then it's kind of up to the family to decide if they're comfortable with so having that degree of risk that is still very much present. And you know what I would encourage you there's there's different resources you can look at, if you are planning to bed share, or if you maybe reactively are bed sharing, it wasn't part of your plan, but you've just kind of ended up there to make sure that if that's what you're choosing to do, that you're doing it as safe as possible. So check out the safe sleep seven, you can Google it and find more info about it. Mainly, you know, other than making sure that the adult is, you know, a nonsmoker is unimpaired you know, not not under the influence of alcohol or medication, that you're breastfeeding, that your baby was healthy and full term. We don't want to be bed sharing with any preterm babies or babies with medical issues. But then also, that safe surface, which is one of the seven is basically making sure that the bed is bare, that there is no way for your baby to be wedged between the bed and the wall, the bed and the headboard, that there's like zero possibility that that could happen. Ideally, a mattress would be on the floor so they can't roll out. And definitely, you know, the firmest possible adult mattress you can have nothing that is squishy, or pillow top or memory foam. So again, that is not what I would recommend, I would recommend that you have your baby

in their own space. But if that is not something that you can do, or are choosing to do, then taking as many precautions as

you can to make the bed sharing safer. But knowing it's not safe. Did I say that enough? Sorry. Yeah, it's I mean, it's the parent deciding that it's worth the risk for them. Yeah, exactly, exactly. And that's, I mean, we all have to make those choices every day. I think we've kind of all learned that with COVID over the last year and a half, like we are making risk benefit decisions all the time. And this is another one of those. So I would encourage you, if you

are still trying to figure out, definitely read up on it more and look at specifically what the AAP the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending,

because they are kind of a good governing body for all things safe sleep. The number four common misconception is, it's okay to put my baby in X, Y, or Z to sleep as long as it's supervised, and I am guilty of this. Yes, and you're not alone, Kayla, I have been guilty of this too. And it's um it's sounds kind of morbid, but unless you are watching your child intently the whole time that they're sleeping in XYZ, you know, whatever that is, sleeping and dead, not breathing look very similar, you know, and that it really just takes a matter of seconds or minutes for that to happen. And so that that is a misconception I hear a lot and so, you know, I will hear that with things like the dockatot or, you know, like a Boppy or, like with the rock and play before it was recalled. And even after I've seen people say like, well, we'll still use it just for supervised. Those are not safe places for your baby to sleep. And so you know, you are taking that risk, even if you're calling it supervised, it's not, not necessarily always supervised. And along that I have some people that will say maybe they're not physically watching their child, but they have like one of those outlet baby monitors, you know, that alerts them to if the breathing rate changes or anything like that.

And my issue with those is that their technology and I think we all know how often technology fails us, you know, and

is that is that really something that we want to be counting on when we're putting our child in an unsafe space? Okay, the number five common misconception is mesh bumpers are safe to use because they are breathable, yep, there's that breathable marketing term again. These companies are smart man because they I mean they just know like when you're tired, you're exhausted as a parent. And they just know they know how to market things, unfortunately. But any kind of bumpers whether they are the mesh ones, whether they are labeled as breathable or not, are not considered safe. Most crib manuals are going to explicitly state that you should not add anything extra to the crib. And you know, that's because your crib has been safety tested and gone through rigorous testing in its own state. And so adding anything else is is they can't guarantee that it's safe and same thing with your bassinet or your play are those all go through rigorous testing. And the the risk with bumpers is that there could be suffocation but there's also a strangulation risk if anything were to come on loose or to get you know, accidentally untied by your your other child by your toddler walking in the room, I mean, anything like that, there just is always that suffocation and strangulation risk. So we want to stay away from bumpers. And I know that's hard, especially when our little ones become more mobile and they are like, you know, moving around and everything. But having a limb that is temporarily stuck in a crib slat is a much, much better alternative to, you know, the risk of something else more severe happening. And if it's really bothering you, you can stick your child like if they're in a crib and they're always getting a leg stuck and it's making them unhappy. Start using a pack and play for a while because the pack and play sides are not crib slats, right? So they can't get a limb stuck outside of them. So I think that's really helpful. Kayla, you don't you don't watch Grey's Anatomy, right? I do not know. I wish I get you on board.

I love Grey's Anatomy. But what I hate about it is every time

one of the doctors has a baby. It's like you see their room and their their crib is like bumpers and blankets. And I'm like to this is a doctor

show. A super cozy they've got the mobiel hanging on top of it. Yeah, yeah. I'm like, you can't put bumpers in a crib. This is a doctor show like people try to take medical information from this show. Yeah,

that's just a pet peeve of mine. All right, the last common misconception is and this is kind of what we've been kind of talking about with the previous misconceptions

is that anything and everything marketed for sleep is safe to use for sleeping. Yep. And, and this is another one that as as a sleep consultant, as an as an advocate for safe sleep. This bothers me to no end there. It should be it should be.

We should not be selling things that are not safe. Right? It's very unfortunate, because as a first time parent, you usually don't know and then when you're desperate, you start making not the greatest decisions. So it's sad. It really is and you know, it just I think it was just last week or recently the Boppy loungers have been recalled very recently. Those are something that weren't even technically marketed to sleep I believe their tag actually said do not use for sleep but you know there have been babies that have died even when their parent has used you know the body correctly put them on their back they they have died sleeping in there and so things like that being recalled, I'm I'm calling it now I've been saying it for a while and anybody who's you know follows safe sleep will will probably agree dockatot it is just a matter of time before that is recalled before there is some kind of recall with that because that is not a safe sleep space. And dockatot you know, in recent years has to be fair, they've done a good job of getting away from advertising the dockatot for sleep and now they specifically say that it's not for sleep, but for any for them. Right right it's I mean, it's it's a lounger like you're supposed to just put your baby in it when they're hanging out but like Hello, that's what the floor and a blanket is for I don't know why we need you know, however expensive a dark cloud is and at the beginning it was very much used and recommended for sleep and for bed sharing and

they have since gotten away from that marketing but the damage is done because that's what people use it for. That's what people recommend it for

and and people just don't realize that that that is not safe. The racket play has been recalled you know, that was a couple years ago. I was a rockin player. Yep, yep with my first and then yeah, once it was recalled, I was like Oh, nope, nope. Yeah, I know. And it's it's so frustrating because you know, that was something else. I think it was marketed as like a sleeper. And that is is not safe. So what I want to leave you guys with is that there are Three safety approved spaces for sleep three only. And they are things labeled as a bassinet as a crib, or as a play yard, also known as a pack and play. So those are the only three that have passed the testing that are considered safe. They should say that they are one of those three things in the manual. So sometimes people and I think they're cracking down on this, but sometimes people will be sneaky in like their Amazon listing. So the title of the Amazon listing, they say bassinet, but it is not truly a bassinet, so you have to get a little creative, I wish that we didn't have to dig in that it was just straight up easy to tell what's safe and what's not. But this is kind of our world and capitalism and marketing and all of that crap right now. So, bassinet, crib play yard, those are the only three spaces that are tested, and actually safe for sleep. Alright guys, thank you so much for joining us. And I hope again, I hope that this did not feel at all like a guilting you or shaming you. Our goal with this is just to make sure you have the info you need. And to clear up some common misconceptions that I hear very often from parents. in the show notes, I'm going to link some resources, I'm going to link my safe sleep blog posts that kind of goes over those basics again, so you can check it out. It also has some more specific links within it. And there's also what would you call it like specific item numbers, if you're looking into what bassinet or crib or packing plate, if the item you're looking at is actually one of those there are some more specific numbers on them that can help you if you're purchasing something. So check that out. And then I'm also going to link a Facebook group that is is a good reference for understanding what is safe sleep. And

if you are wanting to really practice safe sleep, they offer some helpful support, so I'm going to link them as well. So you can check them out. Okay, and last thing that I want to say is, is that if you are following anybody on Instagram, or in any Facebook groups, and you feel like you are being judged, be done, be done with them, okay? Because like we were talking about, there are the safe sleep rules, and then there are risks that we decided to take.

So of course we're

gonna say, use the safe sleep rules. But we also want to talk about if you are making those risks, how to make them safer. So if you feel like you're being judged in any part of raising your children, don't let that into your life. Okay, nothing but love and understanding here.

Thank you so much for listening to the sleep talking moms podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to read and review. Each review helps more tired and overwhelmed moms find simple and practical advice. See you back here soon.

In my years working with families through their sleep issues, I’ve discovered that many don’t know the basics of safe sleep. There's a lot of conflicting info out there and, let’s be honest, safe sleep rules are a little confusing! I’m going to break down the basics of safe baby sleep here as well as providing some great resources for you to do more digging.

 

Why is safe sleep important?

But first! Why does it matter in the first place? Safe sleep reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep related deaths like accidental suffocation & strangulation in bed (ASSB). In 2018, the CDC stated that there were about 3,500 of these sleep-related deaths in the U.S. per year.

 

Safe sleep matters. Even one death is one death too many. As you read further about safe sleep here and in other places, you may see some people claim that they didn’t follow safe sleep and their baby turned out just fine. You may even have experienced that yourself with a previous child.

 

This is called survivor’s bias and it does not make unsafe sleep safe. Take this car seat analogy as an example: When our parents were kids they didn’t have to sit in car seats and they obviously turned out fine and lived to tell about it. But now we know better so we do better. Same with safe sleep.

ABCs of Safe Sleep

Let’s get down to the basics so you can be informed and make the safest decisions for your family.

A is for Alone

Your baby should always sleep alone. Not with adults, siblings, pets, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or any other items. This also means that if you are holding your sleeping baby and there is even the slightest chance that you might fall asleep too, you need to transfer your baby before that happens.

 

B is for Back

Your baby should always be placed on their back for sleeping. Once your baby can roll, you should still start them on their back, but if they roll to their tummy or side, it is safe at that point to leave them be.

 

C is for Crib

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib/bassinet/playard. These spaces have been tested and meet the necessary safety requirements and are flat & firm surfaces. If an item is not labeled as a crib, bassinet, or playard, it has not met these standards and is not safe. If an item is labeled as a crib, basinet, or playard, you should still check that it's met these minimum safety standards: 

Bassinet/Cradle​: ASTM F2194, 16 CFR 1218

Playard​: ASTM F406-13, 16 CFR 1221

Full Sized Crib​: ASTM F1169-13, 16 CFR 1219

Non-Full Sized Crib: ASTM F406-13, 16 CFR 1220

If this information isn't readily available on the product's website, you can always reach out to the manufacturer to double check.

Words & items to be on the lookout for when spotting unsafe sleep products:

• Nests
• DockATots
• Co-sleepers
• Swings
• Sleepers

 

 

 

These are places that you might place your baby while awake and supervised, but should not be used for sleep.

 

I often get these questions:

1. What if they are asleep but I’m watching them? Unfortunately, sleep and death look very similar to a supervising parent so it is much safer and smarter to move your child to a safe sleep space if they fall asleep.
2. What if I use these unsafe sleep products but also use a baby breathing monitor? Doesn't that make it safe? The answer is still no. Relying on an unregulated piece of technology in order to practice unsafe sleep is not a good idea in any case.

Preventative vs Protective Factors

You’ve likely heard other things you can do to create a safer sleep environment so I wanted to break down preventative and protective factors.

 

Preventative factors are the ABCs that we mentioned above (Alone, Back, Crib). These are things that directly reduce the risk of SIDS and ASSB. 

 

Protective factors are things that can help. But it's important to understand that NOT using these protective factors does NOT increase the risk of SIDS.

Protective factors include:

Room sharing (not to be confused with bed sharing, which is unsafe)

Pacifier use

Breastfeeding

 

Again, these factors are protective which is the equivalent of wearing your seatbelt. Wearing your seatbelt will not prevent a car crash but it can help in the event of a car crash.

 

More Resources

I highly recommend checking out this great nonprofit which has additional resources https://www.safeinfantsleep.org/. This nonprofit also runs a Facebook community which is a great place to get evidence-based safe sleep information and advice. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SafeInfantSleep

For more child-proofing at all ages, check out this blog that I contributed to called Safeguarding Your Kids At All Stages.

safe sleep basics

The aim of this post is to give you tips for making room sharing work for your family BUT I would be remiss if I didn’t also share this with you.

For some families, it is just too tempting to pull their baby into bed with them when they room share. If this is your family, I’d encourage you to consider if moving baby to their own room would be safer.

Yes, room sharing has protective (not preventative) benefits when it comes to the occurrence of SIDS but that is negated if you are simply pulling baby into your bed in the middle of the night or unintentionally falling asleep nursing in bed and waking up hours later still holding your baby.

 

I encourage you to do a couple things if you are considering ending room sharing earlier than the AAP recommends:

1. Give your pediatrician a quick call and get their input.
2. Check out this article, Why Room Sharing in Infancy Isn’t Necessary for Safe Sleep by Dr. Craig Canapari. He is a pediatrician, author, and the Director of Yale’s Pediatric Sleep Center so he knows what he’s talking about!

 

So, you’ve decided to continue room sharing but you are STRUGGLING with sleep, now what?

If you already have an older baby dependent on the DockATot to fall asleep and stay asleep, apply to work with me and we can chat about the best option for you and your little one. I've helped many families remove their baby's dependence on the DockATot to sleep and I can do the same for yours!

UPDATE: As of 4/12/2019 all models of the Fisher Price Rock 'n Play have been recalled. If you own one of these you can visit this link to determine your course of action.

I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous to even broach this subject but I feel it is VERY important to give you the facts so that you can make an informed decision.

*This post is not meant to make you feel guilty or be judgmental in anyway. I am simply stating the facts and it is always up to you to discern for yourself what is best for your baby and your family.*

Recently there was a warning put out about the Fisher Price Rock 'n Play because it had been linked to 10 deaths since 2015. These deaths were said to be babies older than 3 months who were not restrained and able to roll.

Now (as of April 11th, 2019) the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is urging that all rock 'n plays be recalled and be taken off the market, as well as asking parents to stop using their rock 'n plays immediately because they are unsafe. 

There have actually been 32 deaths linked to the rock 'n play since 2011.

In this article, the AAP reports that, "Consumer Reports concluded that these 32 deaths, between 2011 and 2018, included babies even younger than the 3-month threshold cited in the initial warning, which is alarming. The cause of death listed for some babies was asphyxia, or the inability to breathe caused by the babies’ position. AAP urges parents of children of all ages to immediately stop using the Rock ‘n Play."  

Positional asphyxiation occurs when your baby is not able to breathe properly and with newborns and infants, who do not yet possess the head and neck strength to move around, this is a real concern. 

So What If You Are Already Using the Rock 'n Play?

If your baby is a newborn and currently sleeping in the rock 'n play, now is a perfect time to make safe adjustments. Use the swaddle to your benefit because it gives that cozy, tight feeling that many babies love about the rock 'n play WITHOUT the risks. I have a wonderful, affordable Newborn Sleep Course that can help teach you to maximize your newborn's sleep while keeping all the AAP recommendations intact as well.

If your baby is no longer a newborn, now is the time to start teaching some independent sleep skills  and help them get used to their crib. At this age, if your baby has been sleeping in the rock 'n play since their newborn days, the rock 'n play has likely become an unhelpful sleep association for them. Your baby may also sleep much better in a crib where they have the freedom to move around and find their own comfortable sleeping position (much like you and me!). If you need help with this transition, feel free to reach out to me and take advantage of my free 15 minute consult.

Reflux and elevating your baby's head

It's not uncommon for the use of wedges, pillows, swings, or rock 'n plays (all deemed unsafe sleep products by the AAP) to be used when a baby has reflux to elevate their head and hope to decrease the symptoms of reflux. However, the AAP states that, "Elevating the head of the infant’s crib is ineffective in reducing gastroesophageal reflux and is not recommended." See the actual study the AAP is citing here.

Back sleeping and choking

Another reason parents may opt to use a rock' n play is for fear that their child may choke (from reflux or just normal spit up). However, back sleeping does not increase the risk of choking and it's actually the opposite of what you would think. Again, I'm going to pull directly from the AAP where they dicuss that back sleeping on a flat surface is best even in the case of babies with reflux:

"The supine sleep position does not increase the risk of choking and aspiration in infants, even those with gastroesophageal reflux, because infants have airway anatomy and mechanisms that protect against aspiration. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concurs with the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition that “the risk of SIDS outweighs the benefit of prone or lateral sleep position on GER [gastroesophageal reflux]; therefore, in most infants from birth to 12 months of age, supine positioning during sleep is recommended.” 

Finally, I want to show you this drawing and description from the NIH that shows you the difference between back sleeping on a flat surface and tummy sleeping when it comes to your baby's airway:

"Back sleeping does not increase the risk of choking. In fact, babies may be better able to clear fluids when they are on their backs, possibly because of anatomy. When a baby is in the back sleeping position, the trachea lies on top of the esophagus. Anything regurgitated or refluxed from the esophagus must work against gravity to be aspirated into the trachea. When a baby is in the stomach sleeping position, anything regurgitated or refluxed will pool at the opening of the trachea, making it easier for the baby to aspirate or choke."

Again, my goal with writing this is not to shame or judge you if you use(d) the rock 'n play. I simply want to inform you of the risks and the stance that the AAP has taken. ALWAYS check up on products that you are purchasing for your baby. Just because a product is sold in stores, that does NOT mean that it follows safe practices or guidelines as outlined by the AAP.

Below is a quick safe, sleep refresher but feel free to browse this link for more information.

ABCs of Safe Sleep