Safer Sleep for Baby

Each year around 200 babies will die unexpectedly before their first birthday. Many of these deaths are classified as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which usually happens when babies are sleeping.

No-one wants to think that the worst will happen to their baby but it's important that parents and carers know the risks and what they can do about them.

It is important that all practitioners working with families in Cumbria promote ‘safe sleeping’.   

Safer Sleep Animation

Our Safer Sleep animation provides some useful advice in the form of a short clip. You can play the clip below or access on YouTube here


Six Steps to Safer Sleep

Safer Sleep for baby focuses on six easy to follow steps which you can follow any time you put your baby down to sleep.


Keep baby away from smoke, before and after birth. If either you or your partner smokes, never share a bed with your baby.

Put baby in a cot, crib or Moses basket to sleep. Never fall asleep with baby on a sofa or chair; this can increase the risk of death by 50%.

Never fall asleep with baby after drinking alcohol or taking drugs, including medications that may make you drowsy.

Put baby to sleep on their back with their feet to the foot of the cot.

Keep baby's head and face uncovered and make sure they don't get too hot. The room they sleep in should be between 16-20 degrees celsius.

Breastfeed your baby. Support is available if you need it. 

Safer Sleep Guidance

The Safer Sleep Guidance is a guide to provide staff with the confidence and knowledge to facilitate an open and honest discussion to support babies' carers to make informed safer sleeping choices for their babies.

Safer Sleep Leaflets & Posters

Available for parents, carers and professionals to download.

Professionals should print copies where possible to share with families during contact session, and to display in public areas to raise the awareness of the safer sleep messages.

The Safer Sleep Booklet has been put together to help keep babies safe as they sleep, providing the right information to parents and carers so they are aware of the risks can help to do this. This is also available in easy readthis external link will open in a new window.

You can now download the brand new airway easy read card. It summarises our new advice with simple graphics and minimal text.

Safer Sleep Assessment & Action Plan Tool

The Safer Sleep Assessment can be used by any agency or professional working with families. The sleep assessment tool is designed to be completed with parents during home visits.

Further Sources of Support & Advice

  • The Lullaby Trust has a range of publications that provide support and advice 

If you would like further information or would like to order any of the safer sleep materials please contact the CSCP - cscp@cumbria.gov.uk

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