Q&A Forum

13/9/21

Sarah

I have two questions: 1. Are beds such as 'First years cozy baby sleeper' safe for newborns in their cot and for also for travel? 2. Our baby will be 5 months old when we plan on taking our caravan on a 6 month trip. We have a bottom bunk bed. Is it safe to use the bed with a safety rail ok at this age? Or are there recommendations for travelling in a caravan with babies?

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Posted a response on 14/9/21

Red Nose Education

There are many different types of products on the market, like the one you describe, that are referred to as portable sleep spaces or pods or nests.
They may be recommended for use in a cot or as a co-sleeper device.
Many of these portable sleep spaces on the market, do not facilitate a Safe Sleep environment, mainly due to a number of safety concerns about pods & nests & on how they are used.
These include soft, padded sides & soft base & minimal height on sides.
Product Safety recommends sides of a bassinet should be 300mm high
https://www.productsafety.gov.au/products/babies-kids/kids-furniture/bassinettes
https://rednose.org.au/article/bassinets

The general safety information about sleeping a baby in a bed, rather than a cot, recommends that a baby not be transferred to a bed before 18mths of age.
Red Nose recommends the following when using bed rails on a single bed.

If you have decided to attach portable bed rails to an adult height bed to prevent your child from falling, be mindful that children can become trapped if the rails are not fitted properly. Before placing your child to bed check that the portable bed rails fit tightly against the side of the mattress and there are no gaps between the mattress and the bed rail. This will help prevent a child’s body or head slipping through and becoming trapped.

Pillows, soft bedding and toys should not be placed against the bed rail. There have been cases of asphyxia in environments cluttered with soft toys. A young child can suffocate if their face becomes pressed against them. Wait until baby is two years of age and is no longer sleeping in a cot or portable cot before introducing a pillow for sleep.
https://rednose.org.au/article/where-to-sleep-a-child-who-has-moved-from-a-cot

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