Announcement from the FSID on daytime sleep

25 January 2007

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) now advise that for the first six months babies should not be put to sleep in a separate room for their daytime naps. During the day they should be put down to sleep in a room where a parent is present.

For more information click on the following link:

http://www.fsid.org.uk/daytime-sleep.html

If you have any concerns about what you should do regarding this latest advice, then it is essential for you to contact the FSID helpline on 020-7233 2090.

For further announcements from the FSID click here:

http://www.fsid.org.uk/press-room.html

Gina's advice

It is important to understand that these guidelines also include the evening sleep between 7pm and 10pm, not just the daytime naps. I would recommend that you follow the routines as normal with a nice relaxing bath and bedtime routine, but instead of settling the baby in his or her own room, settle them in their pram or moses basket in the room where you are.
For the daytime sleeps you may find that your baby is only sleeping a short nap at lunchtime so, depending on the age of your baby, you will need to allow a further one to two naps in the afternoon to avoid your baby becoming overtired and not settling in the evening. It is important to remember that lots of CLB babies do not sleep the full two hours anyway during the first few months.
Eventually though, they fall into the daytime routine of sleeping a longer nap at lunchtime when they are a little older. The key point is not to get stressed and to remember that this advice only applies for the first six months of your baby's life. Once your baby reaches six months you can start trying to get him or her used to their own room for the evening sleep and daytime sleeps.

Please click the image below for a PDF copy of Gina's FSID related advice from from The Contented Baby's First Year.

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If you don't already have it, the free PDF reader is available from Adobe.com.