Day 5 - Safer Sleep & Supporting Families
This is our final briefing for this year’s Safer Sleep Week. Throughout the week we’ve shared clear, consistent safer sleep messages to support practitioners across all settings. Today’s focus brings together two important themes: understanding baby sleep patterns and supporting grandparents, who often play a key role in a baby’s routine.
Baby Sleep Patterns – What Practitioners Need to Know
It’s completely normal for babies’ sleep patterns to look very different from adults’, and for those patterns to change as babies grow. Caregivers may feel unsure about what is typical or may worry when routines shift.
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Key messages for families:
- Babies wake frequently because their sleep cycles are shorter and their needs change rapidly.
- Variation is expected, “normal” encompasses a wide range of behaviours.
- If something doesn’t feel right, families should seek advice from their midwife, health visitor or GP.
How much do babies sleep?
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Newborn Your baby may sleep for anywhere between eight to 18 hours a day, but only for two to three hours at a time.
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3–6 months Your baby may sleep for longer periods now as they need fewer night feeds. Some babies may sleep for eight hours or longer at night, but not all will.
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6–12 months Your baby may sleep for up to 12 hours at night but factors like teething, illness or hunger may mean they wake more frequently again.
- Around a third of babies will have never slept all night by 12 months. All babies are different and their sleep patterns will change, so try not to compare your baby to others.
Practitioners may find it helpful to signpost families to The Lullaby Trust for simple, evidence-based guidance: Baby sleep patterns | The Lullaby Trust
Think Twice Tonight - Alcohol, Medication and Drowsiness
Remind caregivers that it is never safe to fall asleep with a baby if they have:
- Been drinking alcohol, or
- Taken drugs or medication that causes drowsiness.
Encourage consistent messages:
- A clear, separate sleep space is always the safest option.
- A baby’s own safe sleep surface significantly reduces the risk of harm.
Supporting Grandparents - A Crucial Part of Safer Sleep
Grandparents often play a significant caregiving role, and some may have raised children before current safer sleep guidance was established. Practitioners can help bridge this gap by sharing today’s evidence-based advice in a respectful and practical way.
1. Acknowledge experience and explain what has changed
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- Lots of things have changed since today’s guidance was introduced, we know more now about what keeps babies safer.
- Back sleeping is now consistently recommended.
- Soft bedding, cot bumpers, cushions and sheepskins are now known to increase risk.
- Car seats should not be used for prolonged sleep.
- Sofa sleeping is recognised as extremely dangerous.
2. Share the Six Steps to Safer Sleep for Grandparents (Lullaby Trust)
Grandparents can support safer sleep by following these clear steps:
- Keep babies smoke-free. Protect your grandchild from cigarette smoke before and after birth. If you or a partner smokes, never share a bed with your grandchild.
- Avoid sleeping with a baby when drowsy. Never fall asleep with your grandchild after drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or taking medication that causes drowsiness.
- Use a clear, flat, separate sleep space. Babies should sleep in the same room as a caregiver, in a cot or Moses basket. Never fall asleep with a baby on a sofa or chair, this increases the risk of death by 50%.
- Always place babies on their back, with their feet to the foot of the cot.
- Keep heads and faces uncovered. Maintain a safe room temperature of 16–20°C.
- Support breastfeeding. Encourage and support parents who choose to breastfeed; further help is available if needed.
3. Reinforce simple, consistent safer sleep actions
These points underpin all safer sleep conversations, regardless of the caregiver:
- Use a clear, flat, firm sleep surface.
- Keep the environment smoke free.
- Ensure babies sleep in the same room as a caregiver day and night for the first 6 months.
- Avoid loose bedding, soft toys, and older sleep products once considered safe.
Working with the whole caregiving network, including grandparents, strengthens consistent safer sleep practice across households. Respectfully acknowledging their experience, explaining what has changed, and sharing straightforward, up‑to‑date steps all help ensure babies receive safe, consistent care wherever they sleep.
Useful Resources
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