Safer Sleep Week – Co-Sleeping

Safer Sleep Week is 9th – 15th March. The focus for 2020’s campaign is surviving sleep deprivation and helping parents prepare for moments when they may be tempted to take risks.

The Lullaby Trust also has advice on a range of factors on how to sleep your baby more safely. One of the factors is co-sleeping which was a focus of Safer Sleep Week 2019, with some of the main points summarised below.

Guest Blog from Vicki – Wakefield Mumbler

Co-sleeping

Sadly, 4 babies die every week from SIDS and unsafe co-sleeping is certainly a factor. With greater awareness and information given to carers, we can together reduce this number.

I have co-slept on and off with Mini Mumbler since he was around 4 weeks. He still pops in now and then for a snuggle in the night, nearly 4 years on.

I started with a bedside crib and then ended up co-sleeping and moving into the spare bed as my husband likes to have the odd cigarette and glass of wine of an evening.

I did the change in the middle of one night when I was shattered! I remember going back to a document my NCT antenatal teacher had sent us and I had on my phone. It was really useful to have something I could check out and remind myself of what to do and not to do.

I remember that there was not much other information out there, or if there was people had very strong opinions on the subject! I also remember hiding the fact from my health visitor that I was co-sleeping as I couldn’t be bothered with the lecture that it wasn’t safe! The thing that worried me the most about co-sleeping was the duvet and it getting onto Mini Mumbler so I invested in some thick PJs and a thick cardigan and ditched the duvet!

I absolutely understand co-sleeping is not for everyone but it worked for our family and I still do love Mini Mumbler coming for a snuggle in the middle of the night! I love that Safer Sleep Week will help so many families access information to make their own informed decision on co-sleeping and reduce hazardous situations!!

The Lullaby Trust, Public Health England, Unicef UK Baby Friendly and Basis give some key advice for safer co-sleeping [source Lullaby Trust]

• Keep the space around your baby clear of pillows and duvets.
• Always sleep your baby on their back.
• Avoid letting pets or other children in the bed.
• Make sure your baby cannot fall out of bed or become trapped between the mattress and wall.
• Never leave baby alone in the bed.

You should never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair, this increases the risk of SIDS by 50 times.

It is important to know there are some circumstances where it is dangerous to share a bed with your baby. You should not co-sleep if:

• Either you or anyone in the bed smokes (even if you do not smoke in the bedroom).
• Either you or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol.
• You or anyone in the bed has taken any drugs that make you feel sleepy.
• Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg or 5½lbs when they were born.

Thanks so much to our guest blogger Vicki. If you have family or friends in Wakefield be sure to let them know about the Wakefield Mumbler site.