It is often said that babies are creatures of habit. And according to Bregje Raap van Sleuwen - an expert on safe sleeping and excessive crying - this is why predictability is so important for a baby. "Predictability in the day is important. That's not by hour and time - after all, babies don't have a watch. But it is in the order of activity. A newborn baby mainly sleeps and drinks. So when he wakes up he needs a feed. After feeding he may then be awake for a while before going back to sleep when you see he is getting tired." How do you know if a baby is getting tired? Bregje:
"Getting to know your baby takes time and you have to take your time with that. It can easily take five to six weeks. Not sure? Then look at the sequence of activities and the wake-up times, which will give you something to hold on to."
A set bedtime ritual helps provide predictability. "This should especially not be too long, because then your baby will be overexcited. And it's important that you do it with attention, so really put the mobile away for a while." advises Bregje. A fixed sleeping place also makes going to bed predictable. Bregje therefore advises having a separate sleeping place for the baby. "Make the sleeping area also really a fixed sleeping place where your baby always sleeps. Then going to bed becomes predictable for your baby and he knows what's coming."
Challenges in our busy lives
So, predictability with a sleep ritual and a fixed sleeping place are important for a baby. But how do we combine all this with our busy existence, where a baby often has different sleeping places anyway? Bregje advises to always check if the sleeping place is safe anyway. "You can really make a mistake about that. For example, the tray of a stroller is not safe as a sleeping place indoors because it is closed and does not ventilate well." Safe sleeping includes sleeping in your own crib, good ventilation and no stuffed animals or toys in bed, Bregje said. "In addition, you can very well use a sleeping bag or swaddle cloth. This should fit well and with a sleeping bag the armholes and neck opening should not be too large." In addition, predictability is more important than you might think.
"It may not be nice to say, but we see that the incidence of crib death is highest around the time a baby goes into daycare. That probably has to do with the fact that everything becomes different."
The PIKO offers the solution "The PIKO really offers the solution for the present time here." said Bregje. "It is a safe, fixed sleeping place for your baby and so using the PIKO also forms part of the sleep ritual. That way you create predictability and that is very important for any baby." As an expert on safe sleep, Bregje has been involved in the design of the PIKO from the beginning. The PIKO meets the safety requirements of NEN-EN 1130. This includes testing for entrapment danger, breakability, suffocation danger, hazardous substances and fire safety.
"But in particular, the user side was also very well thought out." according to Bregje. "For example, all kinds of situations were looked at and what could possibly go wrong. This has all been taken into account in the design."
Air permeability is an important aspect in safety. "The fabric of the PIKO is completely breathable, which is very important. There is no soft or pillow-like material in it and the edges of the frame are hard. The open structure of the fabric does not interfere with the baby's breathing.". "Predictability is so important for a baby, I can't say it often enough." repeats Bregje. "Because this is sometimes difficult to achieve, this is where the PIKO really offers a solution. It is best if you use the PIKO from birth, in combination with a safe firm surface. That way it really becomes the baby's permanent sleeping place."
Do you also think a fixed sleeping place is important and want to give your child a good start?
Then use the PIKO.
