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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.
Festive Travel and Sleep
During the festive season, families often travel more, stay overnight with relatives, and operate outside of usual routines. These disruptions can easily lead to unsafe sleep situations if families are unprepared or tired. Today’s briefing focuses on promoting safe sleep during travel and festive visits.
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Guidance for Travel and Sleep during Festive Visits
Families should always plan ahead to ensure their baby has a safe sleep space, wherever they go. This includes taking a travel cot, crib or Moses basket if the destination is not guaranteed to have one. Babies must never be placed to sleep on sofas, inflatable beds, adult mattresses or in shared beds.
Car seats are designed for travel safety, not extended sleep. Young babies who remain in car seats for long periods risk airway compromise, even if properly strapped in. Families should transfer babies to a flat, safe sleep surface, as soon as the journey ends.
The festive period also brings an increase in soft toys and decorative items, many of which end up near the cot. These should all be kept out of the baby’s sleeping area. Cots should remain clear and uncluttered, even when visiting other homes.
Practitioners can support families by asking simple questions, such as:
- “Where will your baby sleep while you’re away?”
- “Do you have a safe sleep plan for overnight stays?”
These prompts help families consider risks early.
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Useful Links
For further information about Travel, Visiting & Festive Disruption, please use the following resources:
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