How can I reduce my baby’s risk of SIDS?

There are many important measures that you can take to heavily reduce the risk of SIDS, or a fatal sleeping accident. By applying these measures, you are ensuring that your baby is as safe as it can possibly be in sleep.

  • Always lay your baby on their back, in a cot or bassinet
  • Don’t smoke during pregnancy or allow anyone to smoke around your baby
  • Sleep your baby on a firm cot mattress
  • Remove all entrapment possibilities in their cot. Therefore no cot bumpers, hats/bonnets, pillows, soft toys
  • Don’t let your baby get too hot via overheating/overwrapping
  • Lay your baby with their feet at the foot of her cot
  • Never sleep on the sofa or in a chair with your baby
  • Never bed share with your baby, the risk of SIDS is higher if the baby co-shares a bed
  • Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible

See our alarm based baby monitors in our shop

All profits support our mission of Stamping Out SIDS. Your support is invaluable in helping us eradicate this terrifying syndrome.

There is currently no peer-reviewed scientific evidence to validate that an alarm-based infant monitor will help save the life of an infant, where the absence of such a monitor would otherwise have resulted in an infant death.

Notwithstanding this, River’s Gift encourage the use of alarm-based monitors during all infant sleep periods, to be used strictly in conjunction with all evidence-based Safe Sleep Practices and Principles.

Additionally, we encourage regular in-person cot-side monitoring and interaction, to complement the use of an alarm-based infant monitor.

B-A-C-K Safe Sleep Model
Download Safe Sleep Brochure

Your baby will spend a lot of their time sleeping. Knowing how and why to sleep your baby safely is so important

River’s Gift subscribe to the B, A, C, K safe sleep model as outlined below…

Sleep your baby on their BACK

Place your baby on their BACK for every sleep from birth, on a firm, flat and well fitted mattress. Sleeping your baby on their side or tummy greatly increases the risk of SIDS or sleeping accidents A chin to chest position should always be avoided because it makes it hard for baby to breathe.

AIRWAYS are always clear

Ensure your baby’s AIRWAYS are always clear. No padded bedding, loose blankets, loose sheets, sheepskin underlay or doonas, accessories such as pillows, bumpers, sleep nests or positioners, beanies, hooded clothing or, soft toys. ALWAYS sleep your baby with their head and face uncovered.

Sleep your baby in their own COT

In your room, for the first 6 to 12 months. Sofas, armchairs, beanbags, sleep nests or positioners, slings and cushions are not safe places for your baby to sleep. Car capsules should only be used when travelling in a car, not as a sleeping place.

KEEP your baby smoke free

KEEP your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth.