Safe sleeping and reducing the risk of cot death

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby where no cause is found. This is rare but it can still happen and there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of this occurring:

• always place your baby on his/her back to sleep
• babies should not be swaddled when sleeping
• place your baby so his/her feet are right at the end of the cot/moses basket, rather than in the middle, to prevent them from sliding underneath covers
• do not use cot bumpers or quilts, only use sheets and lightweight blankets
• ensure room temperature is between 16-20°C, as overheating your baby can be dangerous
• the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot or moses basket in the same room as you, for the first six months.