Lauren
Hi, I know safe sleeping advice states that infants should sleep on their back a with no toys or quilts. When children start to move and find their comfortable sleeping position, at what age is it safe for children to sleep on their side or stomach? At what age is it safe for children to sleep with a comfort toy and quilt?
Red Nose Education
Sleep position
Red Nose recommends that all babies are placed for sleep on their back.
Most babies will be rolling over by 4- 5 months - some earlier, some later.
This is very normal as babies grow & become stronger.
Many babies then prefer to sleep on their tummy.
This is not something that needs to be stopped. It is important to make his new environment as safe as possible.
Red Nose recommends that you transfer to a cot from bassinet & to cease wrapping.
Ensure that the cot mattress is firm & flat & there is nothing soft or loose in the cot.
Always continue to place baby on back to sleep.
Red Nose has the following information now that your baby is starting to roll.
Give baby extra tummy time to play when awake and supervised as this helps baby to develop stronger neck and upper body muscles which in turn enables them to roll back over.
Make sure that baby is on a firm and well-fitting mattress that is flat (not tilted or elevated).
Make sure that baby’s face and head remains uncovered (do not use lambswool, doonas, pillows, cot bumpers or soft toys)
As babies grow and develop they become very active and learn to roll around the cot.
At this time, continue to put them on the back at the start of sleep time, but let them find their own position of comfort.
By this stage it is not necessary to wake during the night to turn baby over to the back position
Do not use any devices designed to keep baby in a particular sleep position.
https://rednose.org.au/article/what-do-we-do-now-that-a-baby-has-started-to-roll-over
Red Nose Education
Quilts
Red Nose recommends withholding all soft, loose & padded bedding until a child is in a bed.
This is because some older babies may use anything in the cot to help them climb out of the cot.
Older babies in a cot can be at an increased risk of a sleeping accident by using pillows and bumpers (& other soft bedding) as a step to climb up and fall out of the cot. It is safer to wait until the child starts to sleep in a bed before introducing a pillow or other soft bedding.
https://rednose.org.au/article/at-what-age-can-i-introduce-cot-bumpers-and-pillows
Soft Toys/Comforters
Red Nose recommends withholding any soft toys/comforters for babies less than 7 months of age.
This is because of the risk of covering baby’s head & face, increasing the risk of suffocation.
Keep soft toys out of the sleeping environment for babies under seven months of age because they may cover the nose and mouth and interfere with breathing.
The risk posed by suffocation by the presence of soft objects in the baby’s sleeping environment outweighs any benefit to the baby from a soft toy. It is therefore advised not to place soft toys and other soft objects in the cot for babies under seven months of age.
Seven-month-old babies are more likely to explore objects in their sleeping environments than younger babies. Some babies over seven months of age may appreciate a small object such as a soft toy to provide comfort and connection (transitional object) during times of separation from their parent.