Safe Sleep Solutions
Your baby sleeping safely is our highest priority
Our Safe Sleep Commitment
We have a very strong focus on safe sleep here at The Sleep Store. While other retailers may choose their range based on trends or what looks cute, we choose products for your baby based on safety.
We pay very close attention to safety standards and regulations in New Zealand and Australia, ensuring everything we sell meets or exceeds lcoal requirements.
However we don't stop there! Where no safety requirements exist in our local market, we search the world for the safest solutions for your family. We look to stronger regulations in the USA, Canada, Britain and the EU, sourcing products that comply with strict overseas safety requirements to give you peace of mind that someone has your baby's safety in mind. Baby Carriers are a great example - no regulations for safety exist in NZ or Australia, but we only stock carriers that meet either the strict USA or EU safety standards for baby carriers.
We are also strong advocates for greater safety for babies and peace of mind for parents. We continue to campaign for greater regulation of baby products, which is very rare for a retailer!
Parents often assume that any products sold for babies in New Zealand are safe, that there is some overing safety check that goes on when companies import or manufacture baby products. Alas this is far from the actual reality in New Zealand, where we live in a very loosely regulated market, where anyone can import anything and there are very few baby products that have mandatory safety standards.
Please choose safety first. Have confidence we are looking out for you, and we take your baby's safety at the heart of our business and product choices. Peace of mind for you, and safe sleep for your baby.
Louise & Matt xx
Our Safe Sleep Information
We also ensure that all our sleep advice is safe and up to date with the latest research on safe sleep, particuarly when it comes to SUDI and SIDS information.
You'll see that our Sleep Coaches will never recommend tunny sleeping or sleeping in an unsafe sleep environment.
Our information on co-sleeping and bedsharing is up to date, inline with the most useful, risk reducing information from experts around the world, such as the Lullaby Trust in the UK. Just telling parents not to bedshare has been completely ineffective, a recent survey of our customers indicated approximately 80% of parents have had their baby in their own bed at least on occasions. So we feel is is far better to offer you the best available information on how to reduce the risk of baby sleeping in your bed rather than pretend you just won't do it.
Key guidelines for Safe Sleep:
• A separate sleep space NEXT to your bed will always be the safest option.
• Accidentally falling asleep with your baby in your bed is very risky.
• Falling asleep on the sofa is one of the most unsafe environments for your baby.
• Babies must sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface with their face clear of all bedding and unswaddled.
• If you think you may fall asleep with baby in your bed, we research how to reduce the risk of bedsharing by removing adult bedding, pillows, ensuring the mattress is firm and flat and that baby would have their own safe space to sleep
Read all our Safe Sleep blogs
Safe Swaddling
Swaddling is one of the most helpful tools that new parents have! All your settling techniques like rocking and white noise usually are more effective when you start with a foundation of effective, calming swaddling.
However we do recommend you read our comprehensive information on safe swaddling, to ensure you practice this ancient and effective art following the best safety information for peace of mind.
Safe Swaddling:
• Keep baby's face and head clear
• Swaddled babies should only sleep on their back
• Stop swaddling when baby is close to rolling
• Never bed share with a swaddled baby
• Swaddles should have enough room for the legs and hips to move in a natural, flexible position (all our swaddles meet safe guidelines for hip health!)
• Remember your swaddle is another layer, so be mindful of overheating and swaddling
Read our Swaddling Safety information.
Safe Sleep Images
You'll only find safe sleep images on our website. Research has proven that parents views of safe sleep are influenced by the images they see in the media, online and on baby products.
So we take this responsibility seriously.
You won't find photos of small babies sleeping on their tummy, which is the number one risk for SUDI (Sudden Unexplained Death of Infants).
You won't find photos of babies sleeping with hats or head bands or other strangulation hazards.
And you won't find photos of babies sleeping in unsafe sleeping environments or un safe beds. We don't sell or use photographs of babies sleeping in padded unsafe nests, as using these photos would give the impression those types of beds are safe and they are clearly not a safe sleep option for your baby.
We choose photos of newborn babies with their head and face clear, sleeping on their back, on a firm clear sleep surface.