SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant death in Canada.
SIDS is different from accidental death due to strangulation or suffocation. This can occur when a baby gets trapped between objects (e.g., mattress and the wall) or against a person’s body. Accidental death could also result from the presence of items in the bed (e.g., pillows, stuffed toys), the baby lying face down, or the parent or another child rolling onto the baby, thereby limiting the baby’s breathing.
Wherever your baby sleeps, you can reduce the risk of death by making sure your baby sleeps safely each and every time. Make sure you talk about the following safe sleeping practices with everyone who cares for your baby.
Canadian guidelines recommend the following strategies to help reduce the incidence of SIDS:
To reduce the risk of SIDS, it is best to put your baby to sleep on their back in a crib, cradle, or bassinet after feeding.
If using an alternative sleep surface, ensure it is firm, flat, and placed on the floor. Examples may include a basket, a box or carton, a washtub, or a drawer on the floor. Keep the surface dry, pest-free, and away from pets. Ensure that nothing can fall on the baby, and that the surface will not be tripped on. The sleep surface needs minimal padding – a light blanket wrapped around and taped to the bottom of a sturdy piece of cardboard can be used as a mattress.
Washtub
Drawer
Basket
Box or Carton
*These alternative sleep surfaces should be placed on the floor.
Bedsharing is a type of sleeping arrangement where an infant shares a sleeping surface, such as a bed, with an adult or another child. The term co-sleeping, on the other hand, may include both sleeping on a shared surface or sleeping in close proximity (room sharing).
The safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is on their own sleep surface in your room.
Deciding where your baby sleeps is important. Canadian guidelines recommend that the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib in your room for the first six months. This sleeping arrangement can reduce the risk of SIDS. Bedsharing, on the other hand, increases the risk of SIDS, and certain parental risk factors further increase this risk (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption).
Breastfeeding for any duration reduces the risk for SIDS, and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months offers greater protection against SIDS. It is normal for babies to feed often during the night, and as a result, some parents may find themselves bedsharing.
Sharing a bed with your baby can be risky. The safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is on their own safe sleep surface in your room. Some families may prefer to bedshare for cultural or personal reasons, and some families might end up bedsharing even if they did not plan to. If for any reason you are likely to bedshare, here are some important things to consider.
You should NOT bedshare with your baby in any of the following circumstances:
Remember, the safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is on their own sleep surface in your room.
The Supporting Parents Webinar Series focuses on topics to help parents and caregivers learn how to create environments that help children thrive. These webinars can be used as part of parenting groups or can be used by parents and caregivers independently. Interactive activities are used to share strategies and tips to enhance capacity to raise healthy, safe, and happy children. A recording of the webinar content and activity instructions will be available after each event.
This interactive virtual session will explore the various hats that parents and caregivers wear. Participants will reflect on how they carry out and feel about their various roles and responsibilities. This session will offer opportunities to understand why these roles are important, how responsibilities can be reframed, and why taking care of oneself is a crucial part of caring for others.
