Safe Infant Sleeping

INFANT INCLINED PRODUCTS - POTENTIAL DANGERSSleep your baby safe

The ACCC has commenced an education campaign aimed at raising awareness about the potential dangers of infant inclined products such as rockers, bouncers, and on propped items.
Reports indicate 151 babies in Australia have died in these products - that place an infant’s head above a horizontal position pose serious safety concerns, particularly if used for sleep. Sleeping on an incline increases the risk of sudden death for infants from: rolling into a position that blocks the airways, dropping their head onto their chest, which restricts their breathing.
For more information on keeping baby safe, click here go to the ACCC website.

Practical Tips to help Infants to Sleep Safely

Over the past 25 years we have seen a dramatic decline of deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

However, Kidsafe Tasmania recognises that parents continue to have concerns around safe sleeping practices.

Providing a safe sleeping environment for infants can prevent death. There are positive steps that can be taken to make sleeping environments safer for infants.

Here are some practical tips:

1. Sleep baby on their back from birth – never on the tummy or side

2. Sleep baby with their head and face uncovered

  • When using bedding, put baby's feet at the end of the cot then only bring bedding up to the chest.
  • When using a sleeping bag, make sure it is the right size for your baby and the right thermal rating (TOG) for the season.

3. Avoid exposing baby to tobacco smoke before and after birth

4. Sleep baby in their own cot or basinette in the same room as you for the first 6 – 12 months.

5. Provide a safe sleeping environment for baby night and day. A firm mattress and no soft items in the cot.

  • Don’t let babies sleep on couches, bean bags, pillows or even baby capsules placed on the floor.
  • Keep the cot or basinette away from curtain/blind cords – young children have been strangled by dangling curtain and blind cords. 

6. Breastfeed your baby if you can

 

For more information on providing a safe sleeping environment for your newborn, the Rednose website link is shown below.

https://rednose.org.au/resources/education