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Safe sleeping guidelines
Information in languages other than English
Co-sleeping

Sleeping babies safely

Safe sleeping guidelines

To provide a safe sleeping environment for your baby, the following guidelines are recommended by Red Nose (2017):

Sleep baby on back from birth, not on tummy or side
Sleep baby with head and face uncovered with feet to bottom of cot and blankets tucked in firmly.
Keep baby smoke free before birth and after birth.
Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day.
Sleep baby in a safe cot in parents’ room next to parent’s bed.
Breastfeed baby.

It is important to ensure that anybody who cares for your baby is familiar with RED Nose Six Ways to Sleep Your Baby Safely guidelines when settling your baby to sleep.

For additional, comprehensive information about sleeping babies safely please refer to the following Red Nose resources:

Safe sleeping
Safe wrapping
Tummy time

Red Nose resources in languages other than English

Co-sleeping and bed sharing with your baby

At some point, as parents, you will have your baby in bed with you, particularly if you are breastfeeding. However, it is important that you understand how to do this in the safest possible way.

For comprehensive information on how to safely co-sleep with your baby and the benefits and risks of bed sharing and co-sleeping with your baby, please refer to the following Red Nose resource: Sharing a sleep surface with a baby.

Mater acknowledges consumer consultation in the development of this patient information.

Mater Doc Num: PI-CLN-430089

Last modified 09/9/2021.
Consumers were consulted in the development of this patient information.
Last consumer engagement date: 26/7/2017

For further translated health information, you can visit healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/ supported by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services that offers a range of patient information in multiple languages.

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