What is the scientifically correct sleeping position for newborns?

Newborns need to adopt scientific methods to sleep, and the sleeping position must be correct, which will affect the baby's exquisite facial features. So what is the correct sleeping position for newborns? Which sleeping position is good for newborns? Is it good for newborns to sleep on their left side? How to adjust the sleeping position of newborns? What are the precautions for the sleeping position of newborns? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

Correct sleeping position for newborns

Prone sleeping is the baby's favorite sleeping position, but for babies under 3 months old, it is easy to suffocate, suffocate due to milk regurgitation, and form a small flat head. Alternating between the two sides at the right time is a safe and ideal sleeping position. In fact, prone, supine, and side sleeping all have their own characteristics.

Prone sleeping is usually the baby's favorite sleeping position, with the chest and abdomen placed at the bottom, the back and buttocks facing upward, and the cheek against the bed. This position is the least likely to cause a flat head. However, due to the weakness of the baby's head and neck muscles, especially within 3 months, the baby's ability to turn his head by himself is very limited. If the mattress is too soft, once the baby buries his head in it while sleeping, suffocation is likely to occur.

Lying on your back is safe and allows for easy breathing, but we know that babies are prone to milk regurgitation. Once milk regurgitation occurs during sleep, lying on your back can easily cause the milk to block the baby's mouth and nose, causing suffocation. At the same time, lying on your back for a long time is also most likely to cause the back of the head to be flat, forming a small flat head.

When the baby lies on his side, usually the baby turns his face to one side and lies on his side. This way, if the baby has milk regurgitation during sleep, the milk will flow out of the mouth along the corner of the mouth, and the mouth and nose are not easily blocked, which is safer. At the same time, lying on the side will not squeeze the occipital bone (back of the head), and the baby is less likely to have a flat head. However, if the baby sleeps on one side for a long time, it is easy to have a "tilted flat head".

What sleeping position is best for newborns?

It is best for newborn babies to sleep in a side-lying position. This sleeping position can not only limit the excessive development of the baby's mandible and prevent the sides of the face from being too large, but also prevent the back of the head and forehead from being squeezed.

Under normal circumstances, most newborns sleep on their backs. However, if newborns habitually sleep on their backs, the back of the baby's head will become flat and the face will appear wide over time, which will greatly affect the proportion and beauty of the facial features.

It should be noted that mothers should often help their babies to switch positions when sleeping, to avoid the baby sleeping on one side for too long, which will cause the head to tilt. In fact, it is not difficult for babies to have a symmetrical and beautiful head shape when sleeping. However, if the baby is born with a relatively large front-to-back diameter of the skull, a small face, and facial features that are close together, the side-lying position is not suitable.

The medical community has not yet given a single standard answer to the question of which sleeping position is best for newborns. Babies can choose their own sleeping position and do not have to stick to a certain one. You can decide based on the preferences of parents and the habits or special needs of the baby. However, please remember that when the baby is sleeping, an adult should often check on him/her to ensure the baby's safety.

Is it okay for a newborn to sleep on the left side?

The significance of choosing a sleeping position for a newborn is to have a good-looking head shape and to facilitate digestion. Generally speaking, the best sleeping positions for newborns are lying on the left side, lying on the right side and lying on the back. Comparing these three sleeping positions for newborns, if the baby uses the right side lying position, it is easier to help the baby digest food than lying on the left side. In addition, if the newborn uses the left side lying position for a long time, it is easy to compress the heart and put a burden on the heart. Of course, it is also good to choose to lie on the left side occasionally, which can slightly compress the heart, exercise the heart function, and make it less likely to suffer from heart disease.

Regardless of whether the baby sleeps on the left or right side, they should not sleep on the same side all the time. If the baby often sleeps in the same position, the head shape will be not round. For example, lying flat will make the left-right diameter significantly larger than the front-back diameter. If the baby sleeps on the left side, the left side of the head will be flat and the right side will be convex. Lying on the right side will make the right side concave and the left side convex.

If your baby no longer spit up milk and can burp after eating, then there is no need to put him in a side-lying position all the time. He can sleep on his left side, right side, back, or even on his stomach. It is best to try all kinds of sleeping positions. However, when sleeping on his stomach, you should be careful not to press his mouth and nose on the bed, affecting his breathing.

How to adjust the sleeping position of a newborn

1. Roll a towel into a tube.

2. Roll the other towel into a tube in the opposite direction, but leave some space in the middle of the towel and don't roll it up completely.

3. Let the baby lie in the towel rolled up in step 2. The rolled parts on both sides can help the baby's body stay on its side without tilting.

4. Place the rolled towel on the baby's back so that it can fully support the baby's small body.

Newborn baby sleeping position precautions

1. After falling asleep, the baby lifts his clothes and kicks the quilt, and his cheekbones and lips are red, he is thirsty, likes cold drinks or drinks a lot of water, and some have fever in the palms and soles. Signal: This is caused by yin deficiency and lung heat, indicating that the baby is probably suffering from respiratory diseases, such as colds, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc. Parents should take their children to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible, and take medicine under the guidance of the doctor for prevention and treatment.

2. The baby falls asleep with his back facing downwards, buttocks raised high, accompanied by oral ulcers, irritability, panic and other symptoms. Signal: This is caused by "heart meridian heat". It is often caused by residual heat after the child has suffered from various acute fevers, indicating that the baby's condition has not yet recovered and needs to be treated to prevent recurrence.

3. After falling asleep, the baby tosses and turns, often accompanied by bad breath, shortness of breath, abdominal distension, dry mouth, red lips, thick yellow tongue coating, dry stool and other symptoms. Signal: This is because there is food residue in the stomach. Parents should take the baby to see a pediatrician. The current dietary structure makes the proportion of babies suffering from adult diseases higher and higher, so be careful to prevent the baby from suffering from gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis and gastric ulcer.

4. The baby keeps crying during sleep, often shakes his head, scratches his ears with his hands, and sometimes has a fever. Signal: This may be a reminder to parents that the baby has otitis externa, eczema, or otitis media, and the baby should be taken to see an otologist immediately.

5. After the baby falls asleep, his limbs shake as if he is startled. Signal: The baby can recall whether he is too tired or mentally stimulated during the day. If not, then you should pay attention, because the baby may have sleep disorders or neurological diseases.

6. The baby scratches his buttocks with his hands after falling asleep. Signal: Parents should carefully check. If you can see small white thread-like worms crawling around the baby's anus, it may be pinworm disease. This is a common disease in babies, so you should take your baby to the hospital for treatment.

7. When the baby is sleeping, especially when sleeping on his back, he snores and breathes with his mouth open. Signal: This is because the child's adenoma and tonsils are enlarged and affect breathing. Parents need to take the baby to the hospital for a detailed examination. If necessary, the tonsils can be removed surgically.

8. The baby's sleeping position changes, such as hunching over or covering the abdomen with both hands, and has diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms. Signal: The baby may have enteritis or even dysentery. See a doctor in time.