Safe Sleeping for Babies

As a new parent, one of your primary concerns is likely to be your baby’s safety, both awake and asleep. You might be thinking “How can I make sure that my baby is safely tucked away, sleeping soundly & still breathing?!” We’ve got some fantastic safe-sleep tips for your baby, including the latest in baby bedding to ensure your baby sleeps safely & soundly!

When it comes to getting your baby ready for sleep, our top tip is to think about what you’re wearing to bed, and apply that to your baby. Are you wearing short sleeves and will sleep under a sheet in summer, or are you wearing long pants and will sleep under a doona? It’s always better to dress your baby lighter than to overdo it, as newborn baby’s can’t regulate their own temperature.

• Room temperature (not the outside temperature) so we suggest using a room thermometer or the room temperature read-out from your baby monitor

• Your baby’s temperature to touch, their back or tummy are the best touch points

• Your baby’s condition ~ do they have a cold or any other factor that may affect their temperature or ability to sleep.

With these in mind you can dress both your baby and their bed with the most appropriate layers, from singlets, TOG-rated swaddles & other clothing layers like onesies or pyjamas, to bedding layers including underlays and additional top layers including the latest TOG-rated tuck sheets and sleep pouches for summer and winter that can replace the need for blankets and offer a safer sleep solution.

Important note: Baby’s should always be placed on their back to sleep with no head coverings, no loose bedding (including bumpers and pillows) and no soft toys in their sleep space.

For more detailed information about safe sleeping practices we suggest you visit Red Nose Australia where they discuss everything recommended to keep your baby safe during sleep.

A TOG Rating, which means Thermal Overall Grade, refers to the level of warmth that the fabric provides, rather than the material type or thickness of the fabric itself. TOG ratings help you to decide what to dress your baby in based on room temperature. Most TOG rated garments will come with a guide that you can refer to. For more detail on how to use TOG ratings we’ve put together this handy guide.

We’re very excited to see some innovation in baby bedding that will allow parents to use the equivalent of a blanket to provide safe layers of comfort and warmth for newborn babies. ErgoPouch have released a new product in their bedding range called a “Baby Tuck Sheet” that is essentially a fitted sheet in the form of a firm fitting mattress sleeve for newborn babies’ that aren’t rolling yet. They are a fantastic way to increase comfort, security and warmth during sleep and are a great way to help your new baby adjust to life outside of the womb. Available in both bassinet and cot sizes, the Tuck Sheet features a 0.2 TOG and a 1.0 TOG side to provide the most appropriate level of warmth. The Tuck Sheet comes with a new What to Wear Bedding Temperature Guide so you can dress your baby and their bed with the right amount of layers. For more information on how to use the ErgoPouch Baby Tuck Sheet we suggest you visit their detailed blog here.

Bubba Blue’s Breath Easy Sleep Pouch offers a similar sleeve-style bedding layer in various TOGs. Once again this sleep pouch is a fantastic way to increase feelings of security and comfort for Bub while they sleep. The snug positioning of the sleep pouch over the bottom end of the mattress creates a firm sleeping environment that eliminates loose bedding for increased safety. The Bubba Blue Breathe Easy Sleep Pouch also features the AIR+ Breathing Panel, on the top edge of the Sleep Pouch that lies across baby's chest. This is a great feature as it allows for increased air circulation once again enhancing the safety of the bedding.

Overall it’s extremely important to practice safe sleeping with your new Bub as we know it can be daunting to make the right choices but there are a lot of fantastic resources to help you. Otherwise it always helps to chat to someone in person so feel free to come into the store ~ our friendly staff are always happy to help with any questions you might have!

With love, BVx