Safer sleep for your little ones over Christmas

We know when it comes to the festive season, often families and friends travel to spend it together. Which means our babies are not sleeping in their usual sleep space.

Safer sleep is all about ensuring the correct steps are taken to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is advised to follow these steps until your baby is 12 months old (or 12 months after their due date for premature or low birth weight babies).

The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket. So if you are staying away from home, having access to a cot, crib, travel cot or Moses basket, is ideal.

Some families preference is to bedshare with their babies, but its really important to know it's not safe to bedshare if:

• You or anyone in the bed smokes or your baby was exposed to smoking in pregnancy.’
• You or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol.
• You or anyone in the bed has taken any drugs or medication that makes you feel sleepy.
• Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg or 5.5 pounds when they were born.
• Never sleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby 

You can find more information, advice and guidance on safer sleep on The Lullaby Trust website and the City of Doncaster Council website. 

Safe Space to Sleep scheme

The Safe Space to Sleep scheme is available for all families across Doncaster with a child aged 0-5. The scheme can provide families with moses baskets, cots, cot beds and bedding bundles. The scheme can be accessed via a professional making a referral for a family. 

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can support families living in Mexborough and Denaby with financial advice and energy support. Call Mexborough or Denaby Family Hub for more information on how to be access the service.

If you would like more information on how to access the scheme and the details to contact your local family hub, visit the Safe Space to Sleep scheme webpage.

Useful information to read

Safer Sleep in Winter booklet

Safer Sleep in Emergency Situations booklet

Safer Sleep Easy Read Card