What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
Here, we explain all we know about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, previously known as cot death). Including the causes, risk factors, how you can prevent SIDS and our SIDS research.
Following this advice for every sleep, day and night, reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, previously known as cot death). Our safer sleep advice has saved the lives of over 30,000 babies since 1991.
The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, firm separate sleep space (e.g. a cot or Moses basket) in the same room as you.
Make sure that your baby’s room is a comfortable temperature. Try to keep the room temperature between 16 – 20°C. The risk of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. Monitor your baby’s room temperature with a room thermometer. You can purchase one from our shop.
Breastmilk contains all the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Always sleep your baby on their back in a clear cot or sleeping space.
The safest cot for a baby is a clear cot. That means removing anything that isn’t essential. Babies need just two items in their cot:
It’s important to remove anything that isn’t essential because items such as toys, blankets and bumpers could cover their face and obstruct their breathing.
When preparing your baby’s sleep space, remember:
Have your baby sleeping in the same room as you for at least the first six months, day and night. The risk of SIDS is lower when your baby sleeps in the same room as you, compared to having them sleep alone.
This doesn’t mean you can’t leave the room to make a cup of tea or go to the toilet, but they’re safest if you’re close by most of the time. It means you can keep an eye on them and attend to them if they need anything.
The risk of SIDS is much higher if you or your partner smoke whilst you're pregnant, or after your baby is born.
Creating a sleep-preparation routine that follows our advice on safer sleep for babies can help safer sleep become habit. It can seem challenging to follow when you are very tired, and it may be tempting to do something different. Routine is key and doing something differently to what you’d usually do can be unsafe. For example, babies who are normally slept on their backs but sometimes slept on their fronts are at higher risk of SIDS.
There are so many products out there that it’s hard to know which are safest for your baby to sleep in. We’re here to help with mattresses and bedding, car seats, slings and swaddling, dummies, baby monitors and second hand baby products.
It’s never too early to start preparing a safer sleep space for your little one’s arrival. You may find lots of mixed advice both online and offline, but our advice is backed by decades of research that has saved over 30,000 babies’ lives since 1991. Creating a safer sleep environment is one of the most important steps you can take as a parent for your baby’s safety, giving your little one the best start for restful, safer sleep.
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We're here to keep babies safe by empowering families and professionals with trusted advice.
Here, we explain all we know about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, previously known as cot death). Including the causes, risk factors, how you can prevent SIDS and our SIDS research.
Safer sleep reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, previously known as cot death) occurring. Follow this expert advice until your child is 12 months old.
We're here to help you make sense of baby products and baby product safety, empowering you to make decisions for your baby.
Here, we guide you through safer sleep from day one, sleep deprivation, and help discuss safer sleep with loved ones who also care for your baby.
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Babies born prematurely or low birth weight are particularly vulnerable to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). And what does safer sleep look like for twins or multiples?
Our baby safety resources are useful when printing out our information or to learn about safer sleep in even more detail.