Safer sleeping for your baby

The Manchester safer sleep video ‘Creating a safe sleep environment for your baby’ has been updated.

The video contains useful tips for parents and carers on how to create a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby where no cause is found.  The sudden and unexpected death of a baby is usually referred to by professionals as ‘sudden unexpected death in infancy’ (SUDI) or ‘sudden unexpected death in childhood’ (SUDC), if the baby was over 12 months old. The death of a baby which is unexpected is also sometimes referred to as ‘sudden infant death’.  Some sudden and unexpected deaths can be explained by the post-mortem examination, revealing, for example, an unforeseen infection or metabolic disorder.

Deaths that remain unexplained after the post-mortem are usually registered as ‘sudden infant death syndrome’ (SIDS) or ‘sudden unexplained death in childhood’ (SUDC) in a child over 12 months. Sometimes other terms such as SUDI, SUDC or ‘unascertained’ may be used.  For many babies it is likely that a combination of factors affects them at a vulnerable stage of their development, which leads them to die suddenly and unexpectedly.

Information and resources

For more information about safer sleeping practice and reducing the risk of SIDS please visit the Manchester Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) webpage: https://www.manchestersafeguardingpartnership.co.uk/resource/cdop/

Be Cot Safe

Remember: The safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back, in a Moses basket or cot in a room, with the parent or carer, for the first six months – this advice is the same for all times of the day and night when the baby is sleeping.