Safe Sleep is incredibly important. The best place to get information regarding Safe Sleep is on the Lullaby Trust Website: https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/.
Below are the main recommendations on ensuring safe sleep is followed.
- Room Temperature
A room temperature of 16-20 degrees celsius is recommended with light bedding or a lightweight, well fitted sleeping bag. If using a sleeping bag, the tog of the bag should be adjusted depending on the temperature of the room.
Baby's hands and feet can feel cold but the best way to check if an infant is too hot or cold is to feel their chest or back.
Do not place an infant's cot next to a radiator or open window.
- Place baby on their back
Laying babies on their back for every sleep is crucial. This simple practice cuts SIDS risk by sixfold when contrasted with being placed on their tummy.
Even when babies have the skill of rolling over, still put them to bed on their back. If they have mastered the technique to roll onto their front and back again, they can be left alone. However, if they can roll onto their side but not get back, if you wake to find them on their side, you may want to gently tilt them onto their back again.
- Be in your room until 6 months
The Lullaby Trust recommended that all babies should stay in the same room as you until at least 6 months (including for naps). They can be in their own moses basket, cot or safely co-sleeping. This has proven to half the risk of SIDS.
- Sofas and Armchairs
Never sleep on the sofa or armchair with a baby. This can increase the risk of SIDS by 50 times!
- Cot/Basket Environment
Babies should sleep on a flat, firm mattress which contains a waterproof cover. Ensure the mattress is kept clean and dry and the sheets are well fitted. It is advised to always buy a new mattress rather than a second hand one as you never know for sure the condition of a pre-used mattress.
Babies should be placed on their back with their feet at the bottoms of the basket/cot. No pillows, quilts, duvets or teddies should be in their bed (under 12 months). If a blanket is being used, it should be firmly tucked in and not be above the babies shoulders.
- Pods and Nests
Pods and nests do not comply with safe sleep guidelines as they are not firm or flat. They can also cause a baby to overheat or struggle to breathe if they roll and their face becomes covered from the side. It is not recommended to use these.
- Smoke free
The Lullaby Trust states “If you smoke 1-9 cigarettes a day during pregnancy you are more than four times as likely to have a baby die as a sudden infant death than a woman who didn't smoke at all during pregnancy”.
After giving birth it is also essential to keep babies away from any smoke (from yourself or others) as secondhand smoke can cause babies to become ill.
- Co-Sleeping
The Lullaby Trust recommends that babies sleep in their own cot/moses basket, however, some families do choose to co-sleep. If this is the case, the following steps should be taken to ensure safe co-sleeping:
Pillows, sheets, blankets and any other item which could obstruct a baby's breath or cause them to overheat should be kept away from them.
All other safe sleep guidance should be followed, such as putting the baby on their back.
Avoid letting pets or other children into the bed.
Ensure baby can't fall out of become trapped between the mattress and the bed.
You should not co-sleep if:
Any adult in the bed smokes.
Any adult in the bed has consumed alcohol.
A baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks).
A baby was born with a low birth weight (5.5lb or under).
Never sleep with a baby on an armchair or sofa
- Multiple Babies (Twins, Triplets etc.)
Follow the main sleep guidelines.
Only sleep with one baby at a time if co-sleeping
Do not co-sleep if a baby is premature or has a low birth weight.
They can share a cot together but follow the above safe sleep guidelines. They can share until they start being able to roll.
The Lullaby Trust has a lot of great advice on sleeping with multiples (https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/safer-sleep-basics/twins/). The main points are: