- Back to Sleep: Always place your baby on their back to sleep. This position keeps airways clear, reducing the risk of suffocation and helping prevent overheating.
- Uncovered Face and Head: Babies regulate their temperature through their face and head. Keeping these areas uncovered minimizes the risk of overheating and suffocation.
- Secure Bedding: Use a safe baby sleeping bag or firmly tuck blankets in at the foot of the cot. Ensure the blanket cannot cover the baby’s head by securing it well under the mattress.
- Separate Sleeping Surface: Babies should sleep alone on a separate sleep surface, such as a cot, in the same room as the parents.
- Safe Cot and Mattress: Use a cot that meets current safety standards (AS/NZS 2172 in Australia and New Zealand). Ensure the mattress is firm, flat, and well-fitted to prevent gaps where a baby could potentially get stuck.
- Safe Mattress Protector: Make sure if using a mattress protector that it is thin and fitted to the mattress tightly and no bunching is able to occur.
See Protect-A-Bed®'s range of infant mattress protectors here.
Creating a safe sleeping environment reduces risks and promotes healthier sleep patterns for infants.
