This is a collaborative post: Safe sleeping advice for babies has helped to drastically reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, so it’s something that every new parent should know about. Until your baby is six months old, the safest place for them to sleep is in their own cot, in the same room as you.
Sleep Positions
- Whether you use cots or Palm Moses Baskets, you should place your baby to sleep on their back, with their feet at the bottom of the cot or basket.
- Tuck in their blanket no higher than their shoulders. Their head should always be left uncovered.
- Never share a bed with your baby if you are very tired, have taken any kind of drugs, you smoke, or you have had a drink.
- If your baby was born prematurely or they had a very low birthweight, you shouldn’t share a bed with your baby.
- Avoid falling asleep on the sofa or in a chair while you are holding your baby.
- Before your baby goes to sleep, take any soft toys out of their cot.
- Buy a new mattress, as a second-hand mattress could increase the risk of SIDS. Look for a mattress that is firm and flat, with a waterproof cover. If it has been used by your older children, make sure it does not have any rips or tears. The mattress should fit snugly inside the cot.
- Don’t use the duvets, pillows, or cot bumpers.
- Keep your baby’s room at a steady temperature, ideally around 18℃.
- Don’t position your baby’s cot next to a radiator or in direct sunlight, or they could overheat.
Co-Sleeping
It is very important that you or your partner never share a bed with your baby if either of you:
- Are smokers
- Have recently drunk alcohol
- Have taken medication or drugs that make you sleep more heavily
The is an increased risk during co-sleeping if:
- Your baby was born prematurely
- Your baby had a low birth weight of less the 2.5kg or 5.5lb
Co-sleeping increases the risks of SIDS, and there is also a higher risk that you could roll over in your sleep and accidentally suffocate your baby. There is also a risk that your baby could get caught between the wall and your bed, or roll off the bed and be hurt.
It might be lovely to have your baby with you for a cuddle on the sofa or in an armchair, but it is very important that you don’t fall asleep with your baby in this position. It’s safest to put your baby back into their own cot before you fall asleep.
Pillows
It is very important that you do give your baby a pillow or a duvet to sleep with while they are under the age of one. Pillows and duvets are a risk of suffocation while they are sleeping. Don’t take the risk, and don’t use one in your baby’s cot.
Your baby should sleep in their own cot, not your bed. Keep them in the same room as you while they sleep until they are six months old.