Culture and childhood associations run deep, whether it be for informing parenting choices or retail decisions as an adult.
As a millennial growing up in a middle-income household in India, bed-sharing on an adult bed with loose sheets, pillows and bedding was the perfectly acceptable norm. In the years before safe sleep recommendations (“Back to Sleep” campaign was only launched in 1994 by American Academy of Paediatricians) had reached the general public or even the wide-spread availability of the Internet to search for any of this, traditions and older relatives dictated everything to do with child-rearing. Equally in a city which was mostly warm, humid and occasionally chilly, cotton and wool (probably mixed with some polyester or other synthetics for affordability) were the only fabrics considered for bedding and blankets. Silk was for luxurious saris for my mum.
Times change, economics change and so do learnt behaviours. Even before I became a mum and definitely before I became a Certified Maternal and Child Sleep Consultant (certified by International Parenting and Health Institute in the USA), I knew and practised the sleep environment basics. These included air-conditioning aided 20-23 degrees celsius to bring down body temperature for optimal sleep, silk pillowcases for reduced hair fall and tangling and minimising screen time before bed.
It is only after my child was born that I truly started understanding the difference the bedtime environment can make to the quantity and quality of sleep for a child. The following is a curated list which I have found, have the biggest impact:
· No loose bedding, bumpers or pillows before age 1: this isn’t strictly sleep advice but its even more important: its safety advice for preventing SIDS. Our parents didn’t know this back in the late 80s and 90s but now that we do, ignoring it is cardinal sin! This is the first hand-out I provide my clients with and one matter which is non-negotiable when I assess baby sleep environments. What do you do if you are co-sleeping? It’s the same requirements and if you cannot manage without pillows and loose blankets, re-assess if co-sleeping is for you before your baby is 1. All the advice below is therefore naturally only for children above 1 year of age.
· Choose hypoallergenic materials and natural fibres for your child’s bedding: In our hot and humid weather, the only natural fibres which make sense are cotton, linen and silk. Silk is the only one amongst these naturally hypoallergenic, resistant to dust mites, mold and other allergens and hydrating. So it is not just a luxury item for their hair and skin or the soft touch that’s appealing (though those aren’t too bad either!) but a necessity to consider investing in especially if the child has eczema, allergies or any kind of respiratory issues (like mine did for about a year) and can help them sleep through the night without waking up to coughing or scratching fits.
· Maintaining a cool temperature: Babies and children are more at risk of over-heating during sleep than of getting too cold. And as its important to lower the core body temperature to initiate and maintain quality sleep, it follows that temperature-regulating materials like linen and silk and using air-conditioning and fans to bring down the room’s temperature are imperative for good sleep for your kids.
· Keep it dark and quiet: Natural sleep-wake cycles are activated when the hormones intended to operate when it is dark are allowed to work properly. Babies start producing melatonin after the first 5-6 weeks of birth but the melatonin production can get suppressed if they are exposed to bright lights or screens after 7-8 pm. Quiet is relative and quiet is subjective. For the first couple of years, pin drop silence isn’t conducive to sleep for babies either. Some kind of white noise, whether from sound machines or fans is very beneficial as a positive sleep association for younger children and its one of the easiest sleep aids to wean off from. Just lower the volume gradually!
Pro tips: give them a warm water bath before bed to further aid in lowering body temperature and increasing melatonin production (that sleepy hormone we produce when it gets dark) and favour socks over thick pyjamas for warmth and less risk of over-heating.
In summary, traditions and culture play a huge role in shaping us without which we will be without context or a code of ethics but it is not a reason to blindly follow practices which aren’t suiting us or the next generation we have lovingly brought into this world!
Written and adapted from original "Ask the Experts" series on www.silkfairy.com
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