These Are the Newborn Safety Facts That Every Indian Parent Needs to Know. Some of Them Will Surprise You

Newborn safety encompasses a range of practical knowledge that has a significant impact on infant mortality and morbidity and that is not reliably or consistently communicated to new parents in India. Some of the most important newborn safety practices are counterintuitive or contrary to established cultural practices. Providing this information is not a criticism of traditional practices. It is an acknowledgment that some traditional practices have risk implications that are worth understanding and discussing.

Safe sleep — the most important newborn safety information

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and accidental sleep-related infant deaths are among the most devastating outcomes of early infancy, and most cases are preventable through evidence-based safe sleep practices. The key recommendations: place babies on their back to sleep, every sleep, until they can roll independently. Use a firm, flat sleep surface. Avoid soft bedding, pillows, and bumpers in the sleep environment. Maintain a smoke-free environment. Avoid overheating. These recommendations apply regardless of sleeping arrangements. Room-sharing (baby in the same room as parents) is associated with reduced SIDS risk. Bed-sharing in unsafe conditions (with adults who smoke, have consumed alcohol or sedating medications, or on soft surfaces) is associated with increased risk. The practice of bed-sharing is extremely common in India; where it is practiced, the specific risk factors that increase danger should be understood.

Vaccination — the most significant preventive health intervention available to your newborn

The Indian immunisation schedule provides protection against thirteen preventable diseases that collectively caused enormous infant mortality before vaccines were available. Following the recommended vaccination schedule — beginning with Hepatitis B and BCG at birth, and proceeding through the schedule of the first two years — is among the most important health decisions parents make for their newborn. The evidence for vaccine safety and efficacy is among the most robust in medicine. The risks of the diseases prevented are dramatically higher than the risks of the vaccines.