Baby Sleep Safety Tips
Parents may also be interested in our article on Newborn Sleep Advice.
New parents can sometimes be a little anxious about the safety of their baby while they are sleeping. These fears mostly relate to the small risk of sudden infant death syndrome. However, there has been a great deal of research into this area and there are many things you can do to help keep your baby safe. The following sleep safety tips include guidelines released by the FSID, along with other recommended safety measures.
Place your baby to sleep on their back. Babies may prefer tummy sleeping once they learn to role, but by then the danger is mostly considered to have passed and should not cause too much concern.
Put the baby "feet to foot" in their cot, unless using baby sleeping bags. Putting your baby down at the foot of the cot makes slipping underneath the covers less likely.
Do not smoke around your child, especially in a room where they may sleep. This can increase the risk of SIDS.
Never fall asleep with your baby on the sofa.
If you decide the benefits of co-sleeping outweigh the risks, never do so if you are excessively tired, have been drinking alcohol or are taking medication which causes drowsiness. You are less likely to wake if you roll onto your baby.
Do not use a pillow.
Use a firm mattress in your cot or moses basket.
If the cot or moses basket is second hand, replace the mattress before use. Used mattresses have been linked to a slightly increased risk of SIDS, even if the mattress was previously used by a sibling. This risk is further increased if the mattress previously belonged to a non-related child.
Wrap your baby according to the temperature of the room. Babies generally like it slightly warmer than adults as they are less able to regulate their temperature. But keeping them too warm puts them at danger of overheating.
Do not use cot bumpers or put cuddly toys in the cot or moses basket until they are at lease 4 months old. They pose a small suffocation risk.
Use a baby monitor if your baby is asleep in another room.
Keep pets out of the room unless you are there, even if the pet is docile and good with children.
Never place a moses basket on an elevated surface, other than a stand designed for the purpose.
Don’t place the cot near objects like a curtain or blinds pull cord, particularly once the baby is old enough to be mobile.
Following these simple safety guidelines will minimise the chances of your baby getting into difficulties while sleeping.
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