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Over this week, we are delivering a Safer Sleep and Winter Messages series, which provides practitioners with essential guidance to support families in keeping their children safe over the festive period and, in particular, how to keep babies safe while sleeping.
Through these briefings, we will cover topics including prevention of accidental injuries, such as button battery ingestion, creating a safe sleep environment, managing disruptions during travel or festive periods, and understanding the risks associated with alcohol and co-sleeping. Each briefing will offer practical advice, resources, and links to trusted guidance, which you can share with the families you work with.
We recognise that Christmas can be a difficult time for families, and there is a lot of pressure for them to have a “perfect Christmas”. We hope that the guidance provided this week, gives families some support during the festive period.
Baby Products
Many families purchase new baby products over the festive period or receive gifts that may affect their baby’s sleep environment. Combined with winter challenges, such as damp, mould and heating costs, it is important to support families in creating a safe, simple and healthy environment for their baby. Today’s briefing brings all of this together.
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Guidance for Families
Sleep bags are popular winter items, but they must always be used correctly. Parents should check that the baby meets the minimum weight requirement (usually 4kg/9lb) and that they choose the appropriate tog rating for the room temperature. Sleep bags should not be combined with additional blankets, unless advised.
A safe sleep space should always be flat, firm and free from clutter. This means no sleep pods, nests, wedges, pillows, soft toys, cot bumpers or loose bedding. These items increase risks through rebreathing, overheating or accidental smothering.
Families should be reminded that the cot must be placed away from radiators, portable heaters and direct heat sources. Placing a cot near heat can cause rapid overheating, something babies cannot regulate. Portable heaters should never face the cot directly.
Winter also increases the likelihood of damp and mould, which can irritate the baby’s airways. Encourage families to ventilate rooms safely and to seek support from their local council if damp is persistent or severe. Families struggling with rising heating costs can also be signposted to cost-of-living support schemes.
Useful Links
For further information about Safe Sleep Products, Sleep Space & Home Environment, please use the following resources:
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