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Why is safe sleep important?

Babies spend most of their early stages of life sleeping, this is to help them grow and develop well, so it is important to understand how to keep your baby safe when they sleep. We advised you to follow this guidance until they are 1year old, and it’s for when they sleep in the day and nighttime.

There will be lots of things that people will recommend you buy for when the baby is here to help them sleep, but these are not all needed, and some of the items are not always safe for a baby to sleep on/with. You should always avoid products that claim to make your baby sleep longer or more deeply. By encouraging a baby to sleep for longer than they developmentally need to, can affect their ability to wake when there is something not quite right. 

A sudden or unexpected death of a baby is usually referred to as ‘sudden unexpected death in infancy’ (SUDI) or ‘sudden unexpected death in childhood’ (SUDC), if the baby was over 12 months old. The death of a baby which is unexpected is also sometimes referred to as ‘sudden infant death’.

We don’t what causes SIDS. For many babies, its likely to be combination of factors during their early days which leads them to die unexpectedly and suddenly.

For more information, please visit: What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? - The Lullaby Trust

•    Lie your baby on their back
•    Keep the sleep space clear
•    Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress
•    Keep your baby smoke-free
•    Avoid your baby overheating
•    Sleep your baby in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months


For further information please visit: How to reduce the risk of SIDS for your baby - The Lullaby Trust
 

 Whenever your baby sleeps (day or night), they should sleep on their back, as this reduces the risk of SIDS by 6 times, compared to when a baby sleeps on their front.

Whilst it is not possible to remove risk of SIDS completely, by following safe sleep guidance you can lower the risk. This is even more important if your baby is born early or a low birthweight.

For the first 6 months of your baby’s life, you need to share a room with your baby. This halves the risk of SIDS. Babies should have their own sleep space, and the safest place is a cot, next to me crib or moses basket in the same room as you. Ensuring their sleep space is clear and flat.


For more information, please visit: What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? | The Lullaby Trust
 

  • Maternal smoking throughout pregnancy, or baby being exposed to cigarette smoke.
  • Bed sharing if you or your partner smoke or take recreational drugs, or have drunk alcohol or have taken any medications that could cause drowsiness
  • Sleeping on sofas or armchairs with your baby
  • The temperature of the room being too hot or cold. The room needs to be between 16C to 20C
  • Do not share your bed if your baby was born early or weighed under 2.5kg/5.5lbs when they were born
  • Using unsafe sleep products – baby bouncers, swings, nests, hammocks


For more information, please visit: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – NHS What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? | The Lullaby Trust

  • Due to practicality of the size of a bedroom some parents choose to co-bed their twins. It can also help soothe your babies, however you still must follow safe sleep guidance.
  • Co-bedding is where siblings share the same space to sleep in, such as the same cot together. In the early weeks and months, you might want to co-bed your twins or triplets, but you can still put them in their own spaces such as separate cots or moses baskets if you prefer.
  • If you do choose to co-bed, then your babies need to be on their backs with the tops of their heads facing each other, and the feet at the opposite ends of the cot. Or they can be placed side-by-side on their backs with their feet at the foot (bottom) of the cot.
  • When your babies start moving around or rolling in the cot, they need to be put in their own separate sleep spaces. This is because there is a risk they could roll into each other, as they could overheat and affect their ability to breathe.
  • For more information, please visit: Twins and multiples | The Lullaby Trust

  • Sometimes parents accidentally fall asleep with their baby, and some parents choose the share their sleep space with their baby (not just for comforting or feeding, but for the whole night).
  • Either way, this is classed as co-sleeping. It is still advised that the safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own separate sleep space, which is easy to create in a cot or moses basket. free from toys, blanket and pillows as it reduces the risk of SIDS.
  • Always make sure you plan the safest place for your baby to sleep.
  • We know however that families also bed share, and so recommend making your bed a safer place for baby whether you doze off accidentally, or choose to bed share. Our advice on co-sleeping with your baby will tell you how.

For safer co-sleeping:

  • Keep pillows, sheets and blankets away from your baby, as well as any other items that could obstruct your baby’s breathing or cause them to overheat. A high proportion of infants who die as a result of SIDS are found with their head covered by loose bedding.
  • Follow all of our other safer sleep advice to reduce the risk of SIDS, such as putting your baby to sleep on their back.
  • Avoid letting pets or other children get in the bed.
  • Make sure the baby won’t fall out of bed or get trapped between the mattress and the wall.

To learn how to Co-sleep more safely: Co-sleeping | The Lullaby Trust

  • If your baby was born prematurely (less than 37 weeks), or at a low birth weight (under 5.5pounds or 2.5kg)
  • If you or anyone in the bed has taken medication or drugs that make you sleepy
  • If you or anyone in the bed has recently drunk alcohol
  • If you or anyone in the bed smokes, or exposed to smoke in pregnancy
  • Never fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with a baby
  • For more information, please visit: Co-sleeping | The Lullaby Trust

  • Babies who were exposed to cigarettes during pregnancy or after they are born are at an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • To reduce the risk:
    • try not to smoke during pregnancy or after birth, this is for both you and your partner.
    • Keep your baby out of smoky areas, and keep your car, home and other areas where your baby spends time smoke free
    • Don’t share a bed with your baby if you or your partner smoke
  • It is illegal to smoke in a vehicle when anyone under 18 years old is present
  • For more information, please visit: Smoking | The Lullaby Trust

  • Babies have a brand-new immune system, so it is immature, which means that they are at an increased risk of developing infections.
  • Mild infections that an adult or older child might develop, can be life threatening to a baby
  • To help your baby, you can ensure they receive their vaccinations. Chat with your GP surgery to get these booked.
  • To help prevent serious infections, parents/carers and family/friends should follow T-H-A-N-K-S. Think Hands And No KisseS.
    • Always remember to wash your hands before touching a baby
    • Only parents or main carers should kiss a baby
  • For more information, please visit: Preventing infection | The Lullaby Trust

  • They appear floppy
  • They are irritable and won’t settled
  • They are difficult to wake up
  • Their skin is mottled or has a blotchy appearance
  • They are struggling with their breathing
  • They have a rash, blisters or sores to their skin
  • They have temperature below 36c or 38c
  • They have a high pitched or abnormal cry
  • If they have had less than 3 wet nappies in 24hours

Any of these signs means your baby needs medical attention

  • The Lullaby Trust has developed an app that can help parents with babies under the age of 6 months, to find out if they need to be seen by a health professional.
  • It includes checks you can do if your baby is showing signs of illness.
  • To download the app, please visit this website: Baby Check app | The Lullaby Trust

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