Safe Sleep Environments Key to Protecting Infants From Sudden Death

A safe sleeping environment is one of the most important steps parents can take to protect their babies, as sudden and unexpected deaths continue to occur during the first year of life.

Unsafe sleep conditions can expose infants to preventable hazards, including suffocation. While safe sleep practices cannot eliminate every risk, they can help make a baby’s sleeping space safer.

Babies should be placed on their backs for every sleep, on a firm, flat mattress in a cot or bassinet designed for infants. A fitted sheet should be the only covering on the mattress, with pillows, loose blankets, soft toys and padded bumpers kept out.

Sharing a room with a baby, rather than sharing a bed, allows parents to keep their child close while providing a separate sleep surface. Sofas and armchairs are not safe places to sleep with an infant.

Parents should also avoid overheating their babies and keep their surroundings free of tobacco smoke. Anyone caring for an infant should follow the same sleep routine, and families with concerns about their baby’s health or sleeping arrangements should seek advice from a healthcare professional.