Introduction:
A newborn flailing their teeny tiny arms around, dressed like a kitten in socks with protective mittens protecting their unbelievably sharp fingernails, is almost impossible to beat. Can newborns sleep in mittens? They’re adorable and serve a useful purpose, but can they sleep in mittens? You don’t want your baby’s lovely, silky newborn skin damaged by their difficult-to-trim nails, but you also want to make sure that your baby is properly prepared for sleep, so this is a reasonable issue to ask.
Benefits of Baby Mittens for Babies to sleep
Since the research behind what is and is not safe for a child in terms of sleep positions, crib contents, and clothing options is in near-constant motion, safe sleep rules can be difficult to grasp.
Protective mittens are included in the National Sleep Foundation‘s suggestion for what a newborn should wear to sleep. “Newborns‘ fingernails can be sharp and scratch their faces during sleep,” according to the foundation’s website. “Soft mittens help eliminate that danger.” Is a scratch on their face, however, more perilous than the possible dangers posed by a mitten that falls off a sleeping baby’s hand?
“Infants who wear mittens reap no meaningful benefits. Even though babies scratch their faces, such scratches do not leave scars or have long-term consequences “According to Dr Stephanie Hemm, a paediatrician at LifeBridge Health Pediatrics at Loch Raven. Even yet, as a new parent, you may be concerned about your baby scratching their eyeball or even a scratch disturbing their slumber when you are anxious for them to sleep. So, what should a worried parent do? Experts advise weighing the benefits and drawbacks of wearing mittens, as well as looking at other options.
Safety Concerns of Babies Sleeping Mittens
There are probably no special hazards save obvious ones like the mittens coming off or being overly tight. Normal hand mobility during wake and sleep times may be beneficial to growth, but it is unlikely to be dangerous. Although overheating is a risk, mittens by themselves are unlikely to cause a problem with temperature regulation. “You want to keep an eye on your kid to make sure they’re safe, but you’ll (ideally) sleep when they sleep at some point, so make sure they’re as safe as possible when you put them to sleep, mittens or no mittens.”
If your mittens include any decorations, strings, or loose threads, they can be a choking hazard for your baby. I don’t believe that plain fabric mittens constitute a risk if they make parents of babies feel at ease. Infants must use their hands to investigate the world around them through touch and movement, whether it’s putting their hands in their mouths, reaching for items, or learning how to feel different objects. Babies require this by the time they are 3 to 4 months old to figure out how things work.
Mitten Alternatives for Babies
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, swaddling is a safe sleep alternative. Another alternative is to put your baby in a onesie with sleeves that stretch down to form pockets at the bottom where the baby’s hands are protected. “This is probably a rather rare condition,” Lewin tells Romper, “apart from treating the underlying cause – swaddling in young newborns and keeping nails cut.”
Are having some problems choosing the best mitten for your newborn baby? Go and visit the store to buy soft mittens for newborn Malaysia