5 Cot Safety Tips
- A Clear Cot is a Safe Cot
As cute as those fluffy soft toys are, avoid putting them in the cot with your baby – especially in the first 6 or 7 months. The risk of soft toys preventing your baby from breathing properly if they cover baby’s nose or mouth just isn’t worth taking!
Once your baby is able to pull his/herself up, a large soft toy remains a risk – especially to those little climbers out there…..
- Pillow and Bumpers are Proven to be Unsafe
As with soft toys, bumpers and pillows are NOT safe for several reasons:
- They have been known to cause suffocation when a baby finds themselves pressed up against them and is unable / too young to move away from them.
- There have been many reports of them being used by little ones as a means of climbing up and out of a cot.
- There have also been incidents where babies have choked or strangled themselves on the bumper ties.
- New Mattress or Reused Mattress?
Some research has shown that reusing an old mattress is linked to cot death (also known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome / SIDS). Whilst this link isn’t proven, it is a good idea to have a new mattress for each baby if you can.
- Mattress Condition
Your baby should sleep on a clean firm and flat mattress that has a waterproof mattress protector. As well as the obvious practical benefit of having a waterproof protector for when accidents or leaks happen, a decent quality protector will also prevent your mattress from absorbing bacteria and will help keep it clean.
Any mattress that sags or has holes / tears should be discarded.
- Keep Cool
Many cases of SIDS are considered to be as a result of babies overheating. As well as maintaining the correct room temperature (16-20°C), it is vital that you do not use an excessive amount of bedding. If you choose to use blankets and sheets, ensure that they are firmly tucked in and that they do not go above your baby’s shoulders. You baby should be positioned with his/her feet at the bottom of the cot so that they cannot wriggle down under the blankets and keep your baby’s head uncovered when they are in bed.
If you choose to use a sleeping bag, ensure that the bag fits snugly around their shoulders and that they cannot wriggle down inside it.