Creating A Safe Sleep Space For Your Baby

While this is all incredibly exciting, it is important to know what makes a sleeping space safe for your baby. There are so many opinions out there on what you should and shouldn’t do when your baby sleeps, and what they might need or not need. The secret is that it is all fairly simple. 

By following a few guidelines, you will be able to create a wonderfully peaceful and safe sleeping space for your baby.

Keep Out The Clutter

It might be tempting to buy all the cute fluffy toys you see and decorate your baby’s crib with bumpers, duvets, and blankets, but keeping it uncluttered is best.

Any additional items might pose a suffocation hazard to babies, so keep the following unnecessary items out of your baby’s crib:

•   Extra blankets
•   Padded cot bumpers
•   Stuffed animals
•   Loose sheets.

If you are desperate to keep a cot bumper and extra blankets in your baby’s cot or crib, remove them from the cot when your baby goes down to sleep. Loose bits can be pulled over a babies face, and when they are little they cannot control their movements enough to become free.

Choose The Right Mattress

A firm mattress is the best option for your baby. It will provide the best support and help avoid any suffocation hazards by not being too soft. Keep the mattress on the lowest level in the cot or crib, as babies are pretty clever when it comes to crawling and pulling themselves out of cots at a young age! 

Remember to also remove any items close to the cot or crib, as your baby might be able to reach out and grab any cords or toys and bring them into the cot.

The Right Temperature

It is natural to worry that your baby is not warm enough at night, they seem so small and we feel they might need some extra warmth. In actual fact, babies are quite good at regulating their own temperature and need the same amount of layering as we do. Overheating caused by too many layers or blankets is a big contributor to SIDS. Do not place a beanie on your baby’s head either, as they regulate their temperature through their heads.

The recommended room temperature for babies is 64°F - 72°F, but you can always dress your baby to suit the temperature of the room if this isn’t possible.

Sleeping Position

Your baby should always sleep on their back, no matter what your mom, or her mom, tells you. Sleeping on their back helps to reduce the chance of SIDS, and babies should sleep on their backs both during the day and night.

Sleep Safe