Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Cot death or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected death of a baby. Cot deaths usually occur during a period of sleep in the cot, but can happen anywhere and at any time.

Reducing the risk

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of cot death.

Back to sleep

Place your baby on their back to sleep - side sleeping is not as safe as sleeping on the back. Healthy babies who sleep on their backs are not more likely to choke. At about five or six months old it is normal for babies to roll over so don't try to prevent them doing so, but still put your baby on the back to sleep.

Stop smoking

Babies exposed to cigarette smoke after birth are also at an increased risk of cot death.

Remember:

  • don't let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby
  • do not take your baby into smoky places
  • don't share a bed with your baby if you are a smoker, even if you never smoke in bed

Feet to foot

Place your baby with feet towards the bottom of the cot or pram, to prevent them wriggling down under the covers. Make the covers up so that they reach no higher than your baby’s shoulders. Covers should be securely tucked in so they can't slip over the baby's head. Babies whose heads are covered with bedding are at an increased risk of cot death. Your baby should sleep on a mattress that is firm, flat, well-fitting and clean. The outside of the mattress should be waterproof, and the mattress covered with a single sheet. Use sheets and lightweight blankets - not duvets, quilts, baby nests, wedges, bedding rolls or pillows.

Don't let your baby get too hot or cold

Babies can overheat because of too much bedding or clothing, or because the room is too hot. Don't let your baby get too hot (or cold). Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for you at night, about 18º C.

Co-sleeping

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in a room with you for the first six months. It's lovely to have your baby with you for a cuddle or a feed, but it's safest to put your baby back in the cot before you go to sleep.

Do not share a bed with your baby if you or your partner:

  • are smokers (no matter where or when you smoke and even if you never smoke in bed)
  • have recently drunk alcohol
  • have taken medication or drugs that make you sleep more heavily
  • feel very tired

The risks of bedsharing are also increased:

  • if your baby was premature (born before 37 weeks)
  • was low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb)

There is also a risk that you might roll over in your sleep and suffocate your baby, or that your baby could get caught between the wall and the bed, or could roll out of an adult bed and be injured. Never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair. Normal healthy babies do not need a breathing monitor. Some parents find that using a breathing monitor reassures them. However, there is no evidence that monitors prevent cot death.

If your baby seems unwell seek medical advice early and quickly.

Remember cot death is rare so don't let worrying stop you enjoying your baby's first few months.

For more information on how to reduce the risk of cot death, a leaflet is available free from your local health and social care trust, or in your Birth to 5 book.

More useful links

Do it online

 

Useful contacts