Should babies sleep in hammocks?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Bui Thi Ha - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

Some people think that putting babies in a hammock will help them sleep well, their heads will be rounder, more beautiful, and not flattened. However, studies show that babies should not be allowed to sleep in hammocks because they affect the spine, chest, sleeping habits, ... of children.

Putting children in a hammock has many advantages such as:
When the child is in a hammock, the hammock will hug the baby and wrap it around. This helps the baby feel more secure, easier to sleep; The swinging motion of the hammock helps the baby feel like he is in the mother's womb, so it will be more secure and soothe anxiety. This creates a comfortable environment for the baby to sleep better.

Although there are a few advantages, there are many limitations to letting babies sleep in a hammock. They are:
Causes shaking syndrome: Due to the immature nervous system of infants, too strong tremors and vibrations can affect the child's brain development. The state of children lying in a hammock for a long time, swinging a lot can lead to shaking syndrome - a rather serious form of brain injury. Severe trauma can cause children to have mental retardation, language disorders, epilepsy, vision loss, orientation disorders and cognitive delays; Negative effects on the spine and ribcage: Because the hammock is not a flat surface, when lying in a hammock, the child's spine will not be supported, so it is easy to bend. This is because the baby's spine is still soft, not calcified enough like an adult, so it is easy to bend according to the settlement of the hammock. In addition, when the vertebrae are curved, the back will be hunched, adversely affecting the functioning of organs such as the heart, lungs, ... (such as kyphosis, scoliosis, which can cause breathing difficulties ..) Suppression of nerves. Children in a state of continuous strong shaking (due to swinging the hammock) will have nervous fatigue, so even though they have gone to sleep, they will still be in a trembling mood. Therefore, when holding the baby out, the baby is often startled, crying. If the child has to go through this situation for a long time, the child's brain will suffer many adverse effects. Underdeveloped motor nerves: Children lying in a hammock will have difficulty learning, forming movements such as crawling, crawling, walking, running, grasping objects,... The influence on the motor nervous system makes babies less flexible, making the ability to perceive and absorb less.

Underdeveloped muscles: If exercised and stretched regularly, young muscles will develop and expand. Meanwhile, children lying in hammocks often have their legs and arms pinched or their heads and necks twisted,... These are positions that make children prone to hematoma in one location, blood flow is not regulated, causing muscles and poorly developed brain. Depending on the hammock: When used to the swinging motion of the hammock, the child will easily become dependent on it, without the hammock, he will not be able to sleep; Easy to fall and difficult to breathe: With children lying in a hammock, if the child turns over or over in the hammock, it is very easy to fall out of the hammock. Or when the baby turns to one side, it is very difficult to turn back. On the other hand, infants lying in a hammock will lie in a bent position, with their neck bent - a position that makes breathing difficult. This case can be dangerous, even fatal, because the baby cannot breathe. So should babies sleep in hammocks? For these reasons, medical experts recommend that parents do not put babies in a hammock, unless the doctor recommends it for some special reason.
=>> Parents can consult information about sleep advice for children from the Pediatricians of Vinmec International General Hospital:
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Lying in a hammock has many potential risks, but in case of necessity, parents can still let their baby sleep in a hammock if they comply with the following conditions: hammocks throughout the night; Line a small mat or let the child lie diagonally against the direction of the hammock to support the baby's back, not to bend the baby's spine in the direction of the hammock; Do not let children sleep in hammocks too early before 3 months old; Choose a cool, easy-to-remove and washable hammock fabric, do not hang accessories such as tassels, metal bells, etc. on the hammock because it can cause children to fall with their hands, or put them in their mouths, making it difficult to breathe; A horizontal hammock barrier should be used to prevent children from tipping the hammock or falling while sleeping; Make sure the hammock is hung in a stable, level place; regularly check the hammock tether; Do not swing the hammock for too long and too strong to avoid affecting the baby's nervous system. Although it is possible for babies to sleep in a hammock in some special cases, the best advice for parents is to get them into the habit of sleeping on a bed or a flat surface. This helps the baby sleep deeper, develop physically and mentally.