If you choose to share your bed with your baby, keep them safe by putting them beside you in their own separate baby bed. Until they’re 12 months old, babies are vulnerable to SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant) during sleep, and using a baby bed like this will help reduce the risk of your baby suffocating while they’re asleep.
The four key steps to making sure your baby has a safe sleep spell PEPE:
- Place baby in their own baby bed in the same room as their parent or caregiver for at least the first six months. Put your baby to sleep in their own safe sleep space – a bassinet or cot, or a Sleeping Pod. if you choose to have your baby in bed with you. Don't put them directly in the bed with an adult or another child who could accidentally roll over and smother them. It’s also important to make sure your baby has a sober parent/caregiver who is alert to their needs and free from alcohol or drugs.
- Eliminate smoking in pregnancy, and protect baby with a smokefree home and car. There’s a strong link between SUDI and smoking. Healthy babies have an inbuilt ‘wake up’ response that protects their breathing. This response in babies is seriously weakened by smoking, especially in pregnancy. Make sure you keep your baby’s environment – before and after birth – smoke-free.
- Position baby flat on their back to sleep, with their face clear of bedding or anything else. They should sleep with their feet to the end of their bed, on a firm flat mattress. When baby sleeps on their back, their airway is clear and open and this helps them breathe easier.
- Encourage and support breastfeeding and the gentle handling of baby. Mothers can sustain traditional practice of breastfeeding with positive breastfeeding experiences.
