SIDS and Kids South Australia

05/09/2026

01/09/2026

26/08/2026

Running on Empty? New Parent Sleep Struggles Are Real!

Adjusting to life with a newborn often means functioning on way less sleep than you’re used to. If your baby wakes frequently (or just doesn’t seem like a “good sleeper”), you’re not alone! Here’s why your little one might be waking so much and why it’s totally normal.

🔹 Life Outside the Womb is a Big Adjustment
Some babies need extra comfort and reassurance depending on their temperament.

🔹 Waking for Food and Comfort is Necessary
Newborns need to wake and feed around the clock, it’s how they grow and thrive!

🔹 Day vs. Night? Babies Have No Clue (Yet!)
Their body clocks (circadian rhythm) take months to develop, and they have low levels of melatonin at birth.

🔹 Baby Sleep Cycles Are Short
A baby’s sleep cycle is just 35 minutes (compared to 90–120 minutes for adults), meaning frequent wake-ups are part of the process.

🔹 You’re Not Alone
About 40% of infants experience sleep challenges, and peak unsettledness happens between 6–12 weeks.

💙 Hang in there! It won’t last forever, and your baby will learn to sleep longer stretches in time. Until then, be kind to yourself, rest when you can, and know that you're doing an amazing job.

22/08/2026

Wrapping/swaddling is a common infant care practice used to help babies settle. If you choose to use wrapping/swaddling keep the following things in mind.

The wrap/swaddle must be made of a light weight breathable material such as cotton or muslin. Lightweight and breathable will reduce the risk of overheating.

There needs to be room at the bottom of the wrap/swaddle to allow baby’s legs to move freely into the ‘frog leg’ position, to allow the hip to develop normally.

The wrap/swaddle shouldn’t be too tight across the chest, to allow for chest wall expansion, but should also not be too loose as this is a hazard.

The wrap/swaddle should not sit higher than baby’s shoulders. This will reduce the risk of the material accidentally covering the baby’s head/face.

Baby should not be over dressed under the wrap. This will reduce the risk of overheating.

It is important for safety reasons that once baby looks like they are trying to roll, they must have their arms out/free (that is, not wrapped with arms in).

19/08/2026

SAFE SLEEP TRAINED CHILDCARE CENTRES

Look for this sticker as an easy way to identify Safe Sleep Aware childcare centres.

We encourage all parents when looking for childcare for their infant to ask the question “Have staff had recent safe sleep training?

15/08/2026

Click on the link below to find out more about why the risk of choking is reduced when baby sleeps on their back.
https://rednose.org.au/safe-sleep-and-safer-pregnancy/newborn-to-1-year/why-should-you-sleep-your-baby-on-their-back/

12/08/2026

Is your baby hard to settle for sleep? It may be because you are missing early tired signs.

It is really important for new parents to learn baby’s early tired signs and settle baby to sleep as soon as baby is showing these signs. Early tired signs are a parents window of opportunity to settle baby more easily to sleep. If you wait until baby shows late tired signs like squirming, crying and yawning you may have missed the window of opportunity and it will be much more difficult to settle your baby to sleep.

Tired signs change with age but early tired signs for a 0 – 4 month old may include glazed eyes, long blank stares, redness around eyes/eyebrows, jerky movements, clenched fists or extended arm/legs.

For more information about tired signs visit the link below:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/sleep/understanding-sleep/tired-signs?fbclid=IwY2xjawTc9QRwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVVvcEs2Nk9KR3p6MnVxeGpzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeG9pH4K0tRC_B6TvzyU7uKKxoA8DQb_NQZl-fb70Eayte00LQ5a95w1I09-g_aem_9FfvSAt_gE1Yz7hrsCJxoA

07/08/2026

Keeping Baby Safe As They Grow and Develop

When it comes to your baby's sleep environment, less is more. Sticking to only the essentials and adjusting bedding as your baby develops is key to keeping them safe.

One important milestone to watch for is when your baby starts showing signs of trying to roll. This is the time to stop wrapping or swaddling them with their arms in. Why? Because a baby who rolls onto their tummy while swaddled with their arms restricted may not be able to roll back and this increases the risk of suffocation.
Once your baby starts trying to roll, their arms should be free. This gives them the ability to move more freely and reposition themselves if needed.

We know it can be tough, especially if your baby sleeps well while swaddled with arms in, but safety always comes first. Going arms-free might lead to some disrupted sleep at first but that’s completely normal.

Remember resetting a routine can take time, patience and persistence. Your baby will adjust to the change and you’ll be giving them the safest sleep possible.

05/08/2026

SIDS and Kids SA understand that decorating your baby’s nursery is super exciting, however, please remember your baby’s safety is much more important than how pretty the cot/nursery looks. It can be tempting to fill the cot with bumpers, quilts and toys or even decorate the cot with bunting, but all of these items are potentially dangerous. Remember a clear cot free of potential hazards is the safest option.