"Van de kraamzorg mag mijn baby niet in een slaapzak slapen." Het is een opmerking die ik de laatste tijd steeds vaker hoor. Maar klopt dat eigenlijk wel? Als neonatologieverpleegkundige ben ik opnieuw in de richtlijnen en wetenschappelijke literatuur gedoken. In deze blog lees je wat KCKZ, VeiligheidNL en de JGZ-richtlijn zeggen over slaapzakken voor pasgeborenen en waar een veilige babyslaapzak aan moet voldoen.

Complementary feeding is often discussed in the Netherlands as something you can start between 4 and 6 months. However, "from 4 months" does not mean that every 4-month-old baby is ready for practice bites. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, followed by appropriate complementary feeding alongside breastfeeding. The Nutrition Center states that small practice bites between 4 and 6 months are possible, but they do not replace breast or bottle feeding. From a baby coach perspective, it is important to mainly look at developmental signals: good head control, sufficient trunk stability, interest in food, the ability to process food in the mouth, and the ability to practice in a relaxed way. For many babies, a natural starting point is closer to 6 months than to 4 months.

Short-term supplementation with formula in the first days of life, followed by exclusive breastfeeding, may increase the risk of cow's milk allergy according to scientific research. The Dutch guidelines are cautious: there is insufficient evidence to actively avoid exposure to cow's milk. If supplementation was medically necessary, that is always the right decision. Parents who are concerned are advised to observe symptoms and discuss them with a doctor, midwife, or child health clinic. Questions answered by the blog Does introducing complementary feeding in the first days increase the risk of cow's milk allergy? What does scientific research say about complementary feeding and cow's milk allergy? What are the signs of cow's milk allergy in babies? Should I stop breastfeeding if my baby has a cow's milk allergy? What is the difference between cow's milk allergy and cow's milk intolerance? What do the Dutch guidelines say about cow's milk exposure in babies?