Soon after labor, moms have a new set of warnings, rules, and advice to help protect their babies from any harm - and raise them to be happy and healthy individuals. As overwhelming as parenting may be, or might seem to be, there are a set of guidelines that can help moms and dads avoid accidents, especially for first time parents. As soon as the baby is born mothers are warned of things like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Mothers, especially first time ones, tend to find SIDS to be the scariest thing as it can be inexplicable. As scary as this is, there are ways to prevent it. For example, moms should never fill the baby's crib with blankets or stuffed animals. As simple as this might be, a lot of moms are unaware about what can cause the baby to suffocate or, at the very least, put their breathing at risk. This is clearly scary, because how can a mother avoid something if she is not warned. Thankfully, we have put together a list of 15 things that can put the baby in harm's way and, in turn, hopefully help moms avoid situations where the baby's breathing suddenly stops.

13 The Baby Doesn't Have Enough Support

It is widely known that a baby’s head is too heavy for them to hold up. As they start attempting to build this strength a parent may notice the baby lifting their head but soon after losing the ability to hold it up and it falling right back. Parents, and anyone who holds a baby, are advised to hold the baby’s head as well to avoid any harm to the baby. If a person carrying the baby does not provide the needed support to the baby’s head, the baby can accidentally have its air circulation cut off. One of the best ways to hold a baby to avoid this from happening is to place one hand/palm holding between the back of the baby’s head and neck and another between the baby’s lower back and bottom.

12 Breastfeeding - What Doctors Don't Tell You

Breastfeeding is considered the best way to feed a baby, especially for a newborn. It is recommended by all, or most, healthcare professionals in the paediatric field. Breastmilk is said to have the main nutrients necessary for a healthy newborn and infant to develop accordingly. For this reason a lot of mothers choose to breastfeed instead of bottle-feed. There is a risk associated with breastfeeding and that is suffocation. As the baby latches on to their mother’s nippie their nose is close to their mother’s bosom, sometimes close enough where it cuts off their breathing and in turn causing the baby to suffocate. What some mothers may not know is that babies cannot breathe through their mouths yet therefore solely depend on their nose to breathe.

11 Pushing The Pacifier

Pacifiers can be a parent’s best friend. Many parents have been in the position where their baby is crying and though they have gone through their mental checklist of what can be wrong their child still continues to cry. Has the baby been burped, changed, fed, slept? A parent that can honestly answer yes to all of those can easily start feeling bad in not being able to fulfill their baby’s needs. Then comes the pacifier. A safe bet for those babies that just will not be pacified with anything. As soon as the baby has this they immediately calm down and even fall asleep.

Unfortunately, the relief sometimes only lasts while the pacifier is in the baby’s mouth and unless someone is planning to place it back in the baby’s mouth once it falls out using a pacifier could become more of a nuisance than help. Regardless it is imperative to never MacGyver your way to keeping the pacifier in the baby’s mouth. This is a huge suffocation risk! DO NOT tie anything around the baby to keep the pacifier in. If the pacifier falls out place it back in the baby’s mouth (if they accept it). You can always simply reach out to a doctor as the baby may have other issues only a doctor can find.

10 Burping Can Be Dangerous

It is extremely painful for babies when passing gas and also extremely painful for us to watch. One can only imagine the amount of pain a baby goes through and with their cries it is imaginably tough. After all, they are very small. It is advised that babies are burped after each feeding to rid them of these gasses which many times interrupt their much needed sleep. There are many techniques to burping a baby which involve placing the baby in different positions and either patting their backs with our hands or rubbing it. Some burping positions require the baby to be face down. These can be found to work better as they simultaneously press the baby’s stomach in leaving the gas no choice but to exit the baby’s body. If this is your burping position of choice make sure the baby’s breathing is not compromised when burping them.

9 On The Back Or Stomach?

Newborns are notorious for sleeping during the day and waking during the night. This can be a little frustrating for some parents as it interrupts their sleep and causes parents to never get their seven hours of rest. It has been stated that unlike adults, newborns are incapable of differentiating between daytime and nighttime. This is considered one reason as to why newborns may choose to sleep during the day. Parents then try different ways to keep their baby asleep and one way is to lay them in different sleeping positions, one that works to keep them asleep. Unfortunately, it is never advised to lay a baby in any other way then on their backs. It is especially warned against laying a baby on their stomach to avoid suffocation.

8 Blankets, Bumpers, And Toys - Oh My

Many moms, soon after learning they are pregnant, look forward to prepping the nursery. Part of preparing the nursery is getting the baby’s crib. It is extremely tempting to purchase toys, such as plush toys, a crib bumper to avoid the baby hitting themselves with the crib bars and a pillow for the baby’s comfort. Mothers are advised to not place any of these objects in the crib as a baby can suffocate themselves. It is actually best to not have anything but the following in the crib: well fitting crib mattress and a well fitting crib sheet. Anything more than that is not only unnecessary but could pose a potential risk of suffocation to the child. It is important to recall that newborns may be capable of moving their heads but are not fully capable of holding it up as it’s too heavy. Any moment they are incapable of moving their head can pose a risk of suffocation.

7 Not Paying Attention To Clothing

If you had asked everyone to bring whatever gift they wanted for the baby what would they bring the most of? That’s right, baby clothes. People just love shopping for baby clothes and if the baby is not born yet it is hard to tell whether it is best to get a newborn size or 0-3 months. Most people will opt for purchasing the biggest size. This may leave mom and dad with very little outfits for their new born. In this case do not think of dressing them in the clothes that they cannot yet fit in. It is important that the clothes fit just right especially the neck to avoid suffocation. Babies are very wiggly and can easily cause their outfit to go over their necks if it’s too loose. Best to purchase well fitting clothes and save the ones that are too big for later.

6 The Baby Carrier

Baby carriers are a great alternative to strollers. Strollers are not the most easy to travel with and a baby carrier presents itself as a great option especially for small babies. These carriers are made to last for months and sometimes years. In order to transition the carrier to use from newborn to once the baby weighs a little more the carriers provide a removable insert for the carriers. These are a must when using the carrier for a newborn as without it the baby will not be safe in the carrier. The insert elevates the baby in the carrier to place them at a higher and safer place on their parent’s chest. Without it the baby will be on a lower level, closer to the parent’s chest where they can suffocate.

5 There Is A Wrong Way To Carry

Parents are as guilty as the baby in wanting to be close to each other. If it were possible and not cause any developmental issues in the future, mothers would carry their baby with them all the time and barely put them down. Wanting the baby close to you is one thing but it is important to not forget to check on the baby. Having the baby close could cause the parents to supervise less but should definitely not be the case. As comfortable as the baby finds our skin it can also pose a suffocation risk if they get so close as to not being able to breathe. A quick look down if holding the baby could save your baby and avoid any accidents.

4 Swaddling To Tight

Soon after a baby is born the baby is swaddled. This is to provide the same or a similar sort of comfort to the newborn as when they were in their mother’s womb. This also helps keep them warm as their ability to regulate their own body temperature is not there yet. A lot of parents choose to continue the swaddling at home when they realize the soothing effect it has on their newborn. It is important that parents learn how to properly swaddle their baby before they attempt it on their own as it can cause suffocation. One way swaddling can cause a suffocation risk is over-swaddling. This is when the swaddling is done so tightly that the baby is incapable to safely breathe.

3 Bouncers Are A No-No

Bouncers are pretty fun and definitely eye catching. They come in different colors and designs and some even vibrate. They can be a pretty awesome option for temporary entertainment, feeding or assist with putting the baby to sleep. They are also pretty comfortable, some more than others. One main thing to keep in mind is the amount of padding the bouncer you choose or may already have has. This padding is unnecessary for the baby and can pose a suffocation risk. Most babies turn their heads left or right to sleep and if the bouncer is over padded on the sides the baby can suffocate. A baby should also not be left unsupervised when placed in a bouncer regardless of the amount of padding it has.

2 Sharing The Bed With The Baby

Carrying a baby for 9 months or so definitely builds a certain kind of connection to your baby that can be hard to get over once the baby is out in the world. Many mothers want their baby to be close to them just as they were when they were in the womb. In an attempt to keep their baby physically close some parents opt for co-sleeping. Co-sleeping is having the baby sleep with the parents in the parents’ bed. This presents are huge risk of suffocation as our bodies are no longer under our full control once we are asleep. Any sudden movement can cause a parent to accidentally hit their child. A huge risk of co-sleeping is rolling over, as many adults do when asleep, and rolling on to the baby.

1 Stay Away From Bed Sheets

Learning that a baby cannot regulate their own temperature can cause some parents to feel they should help them in regulate it for them. Besides swaddling, some parents may opt for purchasing heavy sheets to cover the baby with especially during cold and winter months. During their first weeks of life a newborn has involuntary hand movements that can cause them to unintentionally move things. This can happen when a baby is covered with a heavy blanket. A baby can toss the blanket over their head and cause it to cover their face but be incapable of removing it should they be unable to breathe. To protect a baby during cold winter months it is best advised to swaddle them with a light swaddling blanket and avoid heavy sheets.