Safe Sleeping for Babies

A baby's sleeping environment should be made safe. The SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) recommendation is to always ensure that your baby's feet are at the bottom of the cot, with your baby tucked in tightly, so that your baby cannot move down under the blankets.

Babies like to be swaddled at night when they are young, but still remember to place your baby down the end of the cot or bassinet, this will provide your baby with a warm and safe sleeping environment.

As your baby gets older though, you will find that your baby becomes mobile and stronger, and is able to kick the sheets off, or move up and out of the sheeting you had so carefully prepared for them. The best way to avoid your baby losing their sheets during the night or getting caught up in their bed sheets is to dress your baby in a safe baby sleeping bag, ensuring that the baby sleeping bag has ventilation holes, and is a low fire danger hazard. Baby sleeping bags are a great invention, this way your baby will get a good night sleep staying warm in winter, and you will get a good night sleep knowing that your baby is safe and won't be getting caught up under their sheets.

Reduce the risk of SIDS by ensuring that there are no blankets, pillows or cot bumpers in your baby's cot or bassinet, checking that the cot or bassinet mattress fits into the frame securely, ensuring that your baby's face and head are not covered, placing baby on their back to sleep, avoiding smoking near your infant, and placing your baby down the bottom of their cot or bassinet for their sleep.

Investing in a baby monitor will help relieve any angst you may suffer in worrying about your baby during the night. A good baby monitor is one that has a sensor pad to alarm you if there is no movement after a certain period of time, and one where you have a parent monitor so that you can hear the soft sound of your baby breathing through the reception.

Following these recommendations, not only will your baby get a good night sleep, but so will parents.