Safer Sleep
Join Sutton's Health Visiting Team at their stand in the St Nicholas Centre, Sutton, on Tuesday 12 March 2024. They'll be there to promote safer sleep for babies during Safer Sleep Week.
The Health Visiting Team will be available to provide information and advice on creating a safe sleep environment for your baby, helping to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related accidents.
Safer Sleep Week (11 – 17 March 2024) is a national awareness campaign by The Lullaby Trust targeting anyone looking after a young baby. It aims to raise awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and equip parents and carers with information about how to reduce the risk.
The simplest way to do this is by sleeping a baby on their back on a firm, flat surface with no padded or cushioned areas. This will help to keep their airway open and reduce the risk of suffocation and SIDS. Suitable options include cots, Moses baskets, bassinets, carry cots, and cribs.
Quick tips for safer sleep
Things you can do
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep
- Keep your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth
- Place your baby to sleep in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for the first 6 months
- Breastfeed your baby
- Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition
Things to avoid
- Never sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby
- Don’t sleep in the same bed as your baby if you smoke, drink or take drugs or are extremely tired, if your baby was born prematurely or was of low birth-weight
- Avoid letting your baby get too hot
- Don’t cover your baby’s face or head while sleeping or use loose bedding
For more information about safer sleep, speak to your health visitor or visit www.lullabytrust.org.uk