When Can a Baby Sleep With a Blanket?
Updated September 2025 · 4 min read
Keep loose blankets, pillows and soft bedding out of your baby’s sleep space for at least the first 12 months, as they raise the risk of SIDS and suffocation. Use a wearable sleep sack for warmth instead. Most guidance suggests a thin blanket can be introduced from around 12–18 months — check with your health visitor or paediatrician for your child.
- No loose blankets in the cot for at least the first 12 months.
- Use a wearable sleep sack for warmth in the meantime.
- A thin blanket is usually considered okay from around 12–18 months.
- When you do introduce one, keep it thin, small and tucked low.
The short answer: wait 12 months
Safe-sleep guidance is clear that loose bedding — blankets, duvets, pillows and quilts — should be kept out of a baby’s sleep space for at least the first 12 months. Soft, loose items in the cot can cover a young baby’s face, cause overheating and increase the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation.
What to use for warmth instead
A wearable sleep sack (baby sleeping bag) is the safe way to keep your baby warm at night. It can’t be kicked off or pulled over the face, and choosing the right tog for the room temperature keeps your baby comfortable without any loose bedding.
When a blanket becomes okay
Most guidance suggests a thin blanket can be introduced from around 12 to 18 months, once the risk of SIDS has fallen sharply and your child is more mobile and able to move bedding away from their face. There’s no exact date, so if you’re unsure, ask your health visitor or paediatrician about your own child.
Introducing a blanket safely
When the time comes:
- Choose a thin, small, breathable blanket — not a heavy duvet or quilt.
- Tuck it in no higher than the chest, with your child’s arms over the top.
- Keep pillows out until your child is older still — around age two is a common guideline.
- Continue to avoid soft, bulky bedding and cot bumpers.
Frequently asked questions
When can a baby have a blanket in the crib?
Keep loose blankets out of the sleep space for at least the first 12 months. Most guidance suggests introducing a thin blanket from around 12u201318 months; a sleep sack is the safe way to keep a younger baby warm.
Why canu2019t babies sleep with blankets?
Loose blankets can cover a young babyu2019s face, cause overheating and increase the risk of SIDS and suffocation, which is why safe-sleep guidance advises against them in the first year.
What can I use instead of a blanket?
A wearable sleep sack (baby sleeping bag) keeps your baby warm safely, without loose bedding that can be kicked off or pulled over the face.
Sources
Safe-sleep guidance in this article reflects the recommendations of bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the UK’s NHS and The Lullaby Trust. It is general information, not medical advice — always follow the guidance of your own paediatrician, midwife or health visitor.