Place your lower arm above your baby's head and draw your knees up under his feet (Unicef 2017). The "C" position is when you lie on your side, facing your baby, with your body curled around him in a C-shape (BASIS ndc). Sleep with your baby in a protective "C" position Keep your bed free from toys, bumpers, or extra bedding such as bed nests and sleep pods. Make sure the sleeping bag is safe and comfortable and the right tog for the temperature of the room your baby is sleeping in, too. Instead, use light sheets and blankets or a well-fitting sleeping bag for your baby (The Lullaby Trust 2019). Keep bedding and pillows well away from your baby’s head, as this could cause him to be smothered or get too hot (Lullaby Trust 2019). Never leave your baby alone on your bed as it’s easy for him to wriggle into a space where he can get trapped (Unicef 2017). Don't co-sleep on a soft mattress, bean bag or other saggy surface either (Unicef 2017). You don't want to leave any gaps that your baby could wriggle into. If your bed has a frame, a headboard, or is against a wall, make sure the mattress fits snugly. The mattress on your bed should be firm and flat, just as it is in your baby’s cot (Lullaby Trust 2019). If you’re going to co-sleep, only do it when you’re in bed (Lullaby Trust 2019). Only ever co-sleep in bedĪccidentally falling asleep while you’re feeding is easy to do, and if that happens when you’re on the sofa or in an armchair, your baby could come to harm. But before you curl up with your baby, keep the following safety tips in mind. ![]() Many parents say that co-sleeping helps them to create a strong and loving bond with their baby too (Basis nda). Is it possible to make co-sleeping safer?Sometimes, it can seem easier to share a bed with your baby, particularly if you're breastfeeding, or if your baby struggles to settle without you (BASIS nda). If you’re breastfeeding at night, it’s safer to breastfeed in bed, than to breastfeed and then doze off with your baby on a sofa or armchair (Fleming et al 2015). If none of these risk factors applies to you or your baby, then co-sleeping shouldn’t significantly increase the risk of SIDS (Fleming et al 2015). Talk to your health visitor for more information about co-sleeping with your newborn. Research shows that babies under three months old are more vulnerable to SIDS, if they’re in the same bed as you (Lullaby Trust 2019). Your baby was premature (born earlier than 37 weeks), had a low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lbs) (Lullaby Trust 2019) or has just been discharged from the neonatal unit (Unicef 2017).You or your partner feel excessively tired (Lullaby Trust 2019).You or your partner smokes, even if you never smoke in bed or in the house (Lullaby Trust 2019).You or your partner have been drinking alcohol or have taken medication or drugs that make you drowsy (Lullaby Trust 2019).You shouldn’t share a bed with your baby if: There are other things that can significantly increase the risk of SIDS. If you’re holding your baby on a sofa or armchair, and you start to feel sleepy, put your baby down in his cot or Moses basket as soon as possible. The risk to your baby is significant, whether it happens during the day, or at night. This is because your baby could suffocate or become trapped (Basis ndb). ![]() One of the riskiest things you can do is fall asleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby. ![]() This is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby where no cause can be found. When is co-sleeping not safe?There are times when you should never co-sleep with your baby, because of the increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). So whether you plan to co-sleep, or whether it happens by accident, it’s a good idea for you and your partner to know when sharing a bed with your baby isn’t safe, as well as how to make sure your bedroom is set up for safe co-sleeping. In fact, around half of all parents have shared their bed with their baby in the first three months (Basis nda). This applies to his daytime naps as well as at night.Įven if you don’t plan to co-sleep with your baby regularly, there may be times when it's easier to bring him into your bed to comfort or feed him (Basis nda). If your baby is six months or younger, experts recommend that the best place for him to sleep is on his back in a cot or Moses basket in the same room as you (Lullaby Trust 2019).
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