

Whether shared sleep is intended or not, the following strategies have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy, including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents in shared sleeping situations : It is not safe to share a sleep surface with a baby if :Įither parent is under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugsĮither parent is under the influence of medication that causes sedation, is excessively tired, or obese. The benefits and risks of shared sleeping together with a comprehensive list of strategies to reduce risk for baby in shared sleep environments can be found in statements produced by: Little Sparklers supports the promotion of consistent, evidence-based information to parents about the benefits, contraindications and strategies to enhance safety associated with shared sleep environments so that parents and carers can make informed decisions regarding sleeping arrangements for their baby that address their family circumstances and the dynamically changing needs of their baby. In ensuring the safety of babies, it is crucial to respect and support family and cultural norms and practices ). A risk minimisation approach to shared sleeping considers the individual’s family’s circumstances when providing advice about infant care practices that parents will use in caring for their baby. Sharing the same sleep surface with a baby is a complex issue that encompasses many factors. In addition, the United Kingdom’s Lullaby Trust and Basis- Baby Sleep Information Source promote strategies which support a risk minimisation approach. Little Sparklers supports the risk minimisation approach to shared sleeping with a baby taken by Australia’s Red Nose organisation, our national peak body which promotes safe infant sleeping the Australian Breastfeeding Association, and the Australian College of Midwives.
Safe sleep 7 how to#
This research strongly suggests that evidence-based information on how to share sleep with a baby more safely should be made available to all families regardless of original intentions given the likelihood that this practice will occur, whether intended or not, as parents respond to the needs of their baby in the context of their individual family circumstances. These findings are consistent with previous studies in Australia with rates reported between 51-80% depending on infant age at the time of measurement For 1 in 5 babies (22%) this was for most or every night 57.3% of parents reported that shared sleeping was not usually planned. Ī recent study from Queensland, Australia was consistent with earlier findings from the United Kingdom, reporting approximately 76.9% of families have shared a sleep surface with their baby during the first three months of life, while half (49.6%) had shared a sleep surface in the last two weeks. Bed-sharing and co-sleeping are associated with many benefits however the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and fatal sleeping accidents is increased in certain circumstances.

Shared sleeping with a baby, often referred to as bed-sharing and/or co-sleeping, is an extremely common infant care practice, even in contemporary Western societies. Sleeping your baby in a separate room has been shown to increase the risk of sudden infant death threefold Room-sharing for the first 6-12 months remains an important risk reduction strategy for every family. In providing a safe sleep environment night and day, and creating a baby’s own safe sleep place, we need to consider the location where baby is placed to sleep and the immediate environment in which baby is placed. Several of these are provided at the conclusion of this article. There are many resources to assist you in creating a safe infant sleep space consistent with the evidence that supports your baby to sleep safely in an environment consistent with their dynamically changing developmental needs. Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first six to twelve months Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day
Safe sleep 7 free#
Keep baby smoke free before birth and after Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side The key health promotion messages for safe infant sleep supported by Red Nose and the Australian Sleep Safe My Baby public health campaign are based on high-quality evidence :
