Is it safe for your baby to sleep in a duyan?

Is it safe for your baby to sleep in a duyan?

The duyan. As ubiquitous in the Philipines as the coconut trees from where they are usually hung, the duyan (or “hammock”) has long symbolized the idyllic, lazy, tropical life.

Beyond being the romanticized version of tropical island living, the duyan also serves a very practical purpose. Inexpensive, easy to use, portable, and most importantly, comfortable, the duyan has also been passed on from generation to generation of lolas, mothers, and yayas as a child-rearing must-have.

The duyan – and falling asleep in it as a child — is such a well-loved fixture in Pinoy childhood that there’s even a famous lullaby written about it. Even in this modern era of electronic baby bouncers and video monitors, the duyan is still as popular as ever as a tried and true method of putting your infant to sleep.

Because babies love being rocked to sleep, very few infants can resist the gentle motion of the duyan. Couple that with the snug, cocoon-like environment the duyan provides when body weight pulls all the hammock material down, then it must be like sleeping in baby heaven.

Is the duyan safe for my child?

It’s possible that the duyan has been regarded as safe because it’s so widely accepted in Filipino culture. And since many Filipino babies are constantly watched over by parents, relatives, and yayas, accidents are less likely to happen. But that shouldn’t nullify the obvious safety hazards that come with it.

Epekto ng duyan ng baby, safe ba?

Traditional baby hammocks are actually quite common across South East Asia, and its safety has been in question in recent years. A 1997 Singapore study documented cases of head injuries in children who have fallen out of hammocks while sleeping, playing, and feeding. While no fatalities were recorded, the small study concluded that there wasa high risk for serious injuries.

Westernized baby hammocks have also come under fire. In 2009, two infant suffocation deaths were attributed to the side-to-side shifting of modernized baby hammocks in the United States.

Apart from falls, injuries, and suffocation, there’s also the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). And in extreme cases, internal brain bleeding from rigorous swaying. Many health professionals and baby experts now discourage the use of the traditional baby hammock and recommend firm cots and mattresses instead.

How can I make our duyan safer for our baby?

Is it safe for your baby to sleep in a duyan? Yet even with the safety risks, the duyan will be a hard habit to break. Especially with generations of duyan-users backing it up. And if you, your family members, or childcare giver still insist on using the duyan, there are a number of ways to make it safer and more secure:

1. Put a roll-out mattress or baby mat to break your baby’s fall.
2. Place your baby on his back – never on his tummy – when putting him into the duyan.
3. Adjust the duyan’s height and make it as close to the floor as possible. But as your baby gets older, make sure that her head doesn’t hit the floor when rocked.
4. Refrain from putting any pillows, blankets, and other bedding in the duyan.
5. Don’t go for the fishnet duyan as your baby’s limbs might get tangled in it.
6. Make the duyan as taut as possible. And ensure that your baby’s back and shoulders aren’t hunched over for a prolonged period of time.
7. Never, ever leave your baby in the duyan without a watchful eye or any supervision.

By taking these extra precautions, you and your baby will sleep a lot more soundly. Making the duyan a safer tradition for the next generations to come.

READ: Safe at tamang paghiga ng buntis upang makaiwas sa stillbirth

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