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Place your baby on their back to sleep, not on their tummy or on their side.
Don’t let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby.
Don’t share a bed with your baby, particularly if you’ve been drinking alcohol, if you take drugs
or if you’re a smoker.
Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.
Don’t let your baby get too hot.
Keep your baby’s head uncovered. Their blanket should be tucked in no higher than their
shoulders.
Place your baby in the ‘feet to foot’ position (with their feet at the end of the cot or pram).
The safest place for your baby to sleep in their own safe space in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first 6 to 12 months.
Breastfeed your baby.
Healthy babies placed on their backs are not more likely to choke.
are smokers (no matter where or when you smoke and even if you never smoke in bed)
have recently drunk alcohol
have taken medicine or drugs that make you sleep more heavily
feel very tired
Don’t let your baby get too hot (or too cold)
Babies control their temperature mainly through their face. The best way to stop them overheating is to place them on their back with the head and face uncovered. You
don’t have to monitor the temperature of the room — it should be at a temperature that’s comfortable for you at night — but make sure your baby is dressed
appropriately.
When you check your baby, make sure they’re not too hot. Their chest should feel warm. If your baby is sweating or has a red face, take off some of the bedding.
Don’t worry if your baby’s hands or feet feel cool. This is normal.
It’s easier to adjust for the temperature by using lightweight blankets. Remember, a folded blanket counts as two blankets. A good idea is to use a sleeping bag
with a fitted neck, armholes or sleeves and no hood.
If it’s very warm, your baby may not need any bedclothes other than a sheet.
Even in winter, most babies who are unwell or feverish don’t need extra clothes.
Babies should never sleep with a hot-water bottle or electric blanket, next to a radiator, heater or fire, or in direct sunshine.
Make sure your baby’s head can’t be covered by bedclothes while they’re sleeping.
Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors or enter a warm car, bus or train, even if it means waking your baby.
Make the covers up so that they reach no higher than the shoulders. Tuck the covers in securely so that they can’t slip over the baby’s head. Use one or more
layers of lightweight blankets.
Use a baby mattress that’s firm, flat, well-fitting and clean, and waterproof on the outside. Cover the mattress with a single sheet.
Don’t use doonas, quilts, baby nests, wedges, bedding rolls or pillows.
As your baby gets older you can change the way you wrap them. For example, you can leave their arms free from around 3 months. Stop wrapping them as soon as they
can roll. After about 6 months they will probably resist being wrapped. An alternative to wrapping is to use a safe infant sleeping bag.
A safe infant sleeping bag is made in such a way that the baby cannot slip inside the bag and become completely covered. The sleeping bag should be the correct size
for the baby, with a fitted neck, armholes (or sleeves) and no hood.
When using a sleeping bag, make sure the baby is dressed according to the room temperature and do not use sleeping bags with quilts or doonas. If additional warmth
is needed, a light blanket is usually all that is necessary, but take care to tuck the blanket in firmly so it cannot ride up and cover baby’s head during sleep. Another way to
provide additional warmth is to dress your baby in layers of clothing inside the sleeping bag to keep baby warm.
Household cots
It is very important to make sure your baby’s cot is safe and meets the current Australian Standard AS/NZS 2172.
Make sure you remove toys, extra pillows and bumpers from the cot so your baby can’t suffocate or use them as a foothold to climb out.
If you are using a second-hand cot, make sure all its parts are in good working order and you have the full instructions to put it up correctly.
Folding cots
Folding cots or travel cots are only for temporary use. It’s very important to make sure the mattress fits properly and that the cot is sturdy and won’t collapse.
To minimise these risks, make sure the cot meets the mandatory Australian Standard AS/NZS 2195 for Portable Cots.
Mattresses
Only use the mattress specifically designed for the cot. An ill-fitting mattress can create dangerous gaps that can trap a sleeping child and cause suffocation. The
mattress should be firm, clean and in good condition, and should be placed flat (not tilted or elevated).
Make sure the mattress complies with the AS/NZS Voluntary Standard (AS/NZS 8811.1:2013). You can also test the firmness of the mattress yourself. This video will
show you how.
Never place an extra mattress in the cot. While the mattress that comes with the cot may look thin and uncomfortable to you, it has been designed for the comfort and
safety of babies and infants.
As a general rule, don’t introduce a pillow until your child starts to sleep in a bed.
Don’t leave toys or stuffed animals in the cot with a sleeping child.
Cot position
Set the cot up out of reach of blind and curtain cords so your baby can’t be strangled. Make sure decorative mobiles are out of reach.
Keep heaters or any electrical appliances away from the cot to avoid the risk of overheating, burns and electrocution.
Repairs
If parts of your cot break or stop working properly, always take it back to the supplier to organise repairs. Never modify a new or old cot yourself, as this can destroy
inbuilt safety features. Infants have died in cots where do-it-yourself repairs have created hazards. If a reputable cot supplier cannot fix your cot, you should immediately
stop using it and dispose of it.
Related information
You can find out more about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Visit Red Nose for more information on safe sleeping for babies.
Visit Product Safety Australia for information and guides on baby safety.
Sources: Product Safety Australia (Household cots), Product Safety Australia (Folding cots), Product Safety Australia (Safe sleeping for infants), Red Nose (Safe sleeping)
This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical
condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.
The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical
problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means
without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/safe-sleep-for-babies