Baby sleeping on his back: Place your baby on their back to sleep from the very beginning for both day and night sleeps. This will reduce the risk of cot death. Side sleeping is not as safe as sleeping on the back. Healthy babies placed on their backs are not more likely to choke. When your baby is old enough to roll over, they should not be prevented from doing so.
Babies may get flattening of the part of the head they lie on (plagiocephaly). This will become rounder again as they grow, particularly if they are encouraged to lie on their tummies to play when they are awake and being supervised. Experiencing a range of different positions and a variety of movement while awake is also good for a baby’s development.
Risks of bed sharing
The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in a room with you for the first six months. Do not share a bed with your baby if you or your partner:
• have taken medication that make you sleep more heavily
• feel very tired.
The risks of bed sharing are also increased if your baby:
• was premature (born before 37 weeks), or
• was of low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb).
There is also a risk that you might roll over in your sleep and suffocate your baby, or that your baby could get caught between the wall and the bed, or could roll out of an adult bed and be injured.
Never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair
It’s lovely to have your baby with you for a cuddle or a feed but it’s safest to put your baby back in their cot before you go to sleep.
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