Safe Sleeping For Babies

Babies spend a huge amount of time asleep - or at least, in theory they do - so ensuring your baby is safe and sound whilst doing so is crucial.

To help your baby sleep safely, you need to take into consideration aspects such as where he sleeps, how he sleeps, the bedding you use and what's in the cot.

The Ideal Sleeping Position

Research into sleeping positions has found that the best sleeping position for babies - both in terms of safety and health - is on their back. Babies settle easier on their backs if you've always put them to sleep this way, so try and do so from the beginning.

Of course, eventually babies will learn how to roll from their back to their front on their own. When this happens, continue to put them to sleep on their back, but don't worry about them moving and leave them to find their own comfy position.

Sleeping In the Family Bed

Although many people used to sleep with their babies in the family bed, experts now recommend against doing this. A large study into the safety of bed sharing found that it could increase the risk of cot death. In the case of children aged less than eight weeks old, the study found that bed sharing increased the risk of cot death by 1.6%.

It may still seem a small risk, but the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot.

Bedding

Duvets and pillows aren't safe to be used with babies under one year old, especially as they could cause overheating (and increase the risk of cot death) or accidentally cause smothering. Instead, use a sheet and blankets in the cot. As well as adding to safety, this makes it much easier to get the temperature right - if your baby is too hot, you can take a layer off, and if he's too cold, you can add a blanket.

Also, ensure you have the right size bedding for the cot or crib, as this will prevent your baby getting tangled up. Don't be tempted to fold up larger sheets or blankets to fit your crib, as it can be dangerous and increase the risk of your baby getting caught up in their bedding.

When you make up the cot, use the 'feet to foot' method. Make up cot so that the blankets and sheets are halfway down the cot, and tucked under the mattress, so that your baby lies with his feet at the end of the cot. This is a safe and recommended method, as it means that it's difficult for your baby to wriggle down under the bedding.

It's also important to ensure your baby's head is kept uncovered. This is because babies regulate their temperature by losing heat from their heads, so keep hats off when he's in the cot.

Another option to consider is baby Grobags or specially designed sleeping bags. They're ideal for babies who keep kicking off their blankets! Check the weight and size of the sleeping bag is right for your baby, for example you could use a 1 tog in the summer and a 2.5 tog in the winter, and make sure it fits snugly around your baby's chest.

Toys in the Cot

Although it's great to have toys for your baby, it's recommended that you don't keep cuddly toys in the cot when your baby is young. This is especially so for large cuddly toys which, in a similar way to duvets and pillows, could easily fall on your baby's head, causing overheating or accidental smothering.

Reducing the Risk of Cot Death

Cot death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as it's also called, is the leading cause of death in babies over one month old and isn't something to be complacent about. Seven babies a week die from cot death in the UK alone and, although research is still ongoing into all the potential causes, there are practical ways you can reduce the risk.

To keep your baby safe and minimise the risk of cot death, use these tips:

• Stop smoking during pregnancy; this includes fathers, too.
• Don't let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby.
• Put your baby to sleep on his back.
• Don't let your baby get too hot - the ideal temperature is 16-20 degrees Celsius. Use a thermometer to keep track of temperature in your baby's room.
• Keep your baby's head uncovered when he's asleep.
• When you put your baby to sleep, place his feet at the foot of the cot, to prevent him wriggling down under the covers.
• For the first six months, have the cot in your bedroom, so you can keep a close eye on your baby when he's asleep.
• Avoid sharing a bed with your baby.
• If your baby is unwell, or you're worried about him, seek medical advice promptly.

General Cot and Moses Basket Safety Tips

• Moses baskets are safe to use and you should follow the same sleeping advice for cots, keeping the basket in your room for the first six months.

• Don't put the cot next to a heater, fire, radiator or in direct sunlight, as it could make your baby too hot.

• Breathing or apnoea monitors, which are designed to sound an alarm after 20 seconds if there's no sign of breathing, can be used for reassurance - but there's no evidence that they can prevent cot death.

• Research into cot bumpers has produced neutral results. On the positive side, they don't have bad effects, so are considered safe to use in the cot. However, if they've got strings to attach them to the cot, they could be pulled by older babies. Some experts recommend avoiding using bumpers with babies who can sit unaided.

• Used mattresses have been linked to an increased risk of cot death. Ideally, buy a new mattress for each new baby, or ensure the one you have is completely waterproof and has no tears or holes. Ventilated mattresses with holes aren't recommended, as it's impossible to keep the inside clean.

• There's no need to use waterproof sheets with your mattress.