🛡️Safe Sleep

Safe Sleep

SIDS prevention, the ABC safe sleep framework, cot setup, swaddling, and every hazard to remove from your baby's sleep space.

The ABCs of Safe Sleep

Alone

Baby sleeps alone in their own sleep space - No bed-sharing, no siblings, no pets in the cot

Back

Always place baby on their back - Every sleep, every time, until 12 months of age

Crib

Firm, flat, safe surface - Cot, crib, or bassinet. No soft objects inside

SIDS risk: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is rare but the risk peaks at 2–4 months. The ABCs are the most effective prevention strategy, alongside breastfeeding (which reduces SIDS risk by ~50%) and avoiding smoke exposure.

Safe Sleep Dos & Don'ts

✓ Do

✓Room-share (not bed-share) for at least 6 months - Reduces SIDS risk
✓Use a firm, flat mattress that fits snugly in the cot with no gaps
✓Dress in one layer - A single cotton onesie is usually enough in Singapore
✓Use a light muslin swaddle for newborns if they prefer being wrapped
✓Offer a pacifier at nap and bedtime once breastfeeding is established (3–4 weeks)
✓Keep the room dark for night sleeps to support circadian rhythm
✓Run a fan or air-con - Room temperature 24–26°C

✗ Don't

✗Pillows, quilts, duvets, or soft toys inside the cot
✗Cot bumpers - Even 'breathable' ones carry suffocation risk
✗Bed-sharing - Risk is significantly elevated, especially with exhausted or medicated parents
✗Letting baby sleep in a bouncer, swing, or car seat outside of the car
✗Positioner wedges or anti-reflux supports inside the cot
✗Weighted blankets or weighted swaddles
✗Sleeping on a sofa or armchair while feeding (the most dangerous surface)

Setting Up a Safe Cot

Mattress

Firm and flat - Should not compress significantly under baby's weight. No memory foam. Fits snugly in the cot frame with no gaps larger than 2 finger-widths.

Sheet

One fitted sheet only - No loose bedding. Tuck the sheet tightly under the mattress.

Inside the cot

Nothing. No bumpers, pillows, stuffed animals, positioners, or blankets. Nothing.

Cot position

Flat surface - No incline. Away from direct fan or air-con airflow. Away from blind cords and electrical cables.

Mattress replacement

Replace if second-hand cot has an old mattress - Evidence suggests re-use of old mattresses increases SIDS risk.

Cot height

Highest mattress setting for newborns. Lower as baby begins to pull up, before they can lever themselves out.

Swaddling Safety

Swaddling is safe when done correctly and only while baby cannot roll. In Singapore's heat, use a single thin muslin swaddle.

Safe swaddling rules

✓Hips loose - Hip dysplasia risk if legs are forced straight
✓Thin muslin fabric only - No fleece or thick fabric in Singapore's heat
✓Snug at the chest, not the legs
✓Baby placed on back - Always
✓Never put a swaddled baby face-down
✓Stop swaddling as soon as baby shows rolling signs

When to stop swaddling

Stop the moment your baby shows any sign of rolling - Typically around 3–4 months. A rolling baby in a swaddle cannot push up to free their airway if they end up face-down.

Transition: arms-out swaddle → sleep sack → nothing needed in Singapore's heat.