Safe Sleep for Babies: The Essentials Every Parent Should Know
Updated September 2025 · 7 min read
The core safe-sleep rules are simple: always place your baby on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat, separate sleep surface (a cot or Moses basket) with no pillows, duvets, bumpers or soft toys. Share a room — but not a bed — for at least the first six months, keep the room a comfortable temperature, and keep your baby smoke-free. These steps are recommended by paediatric bodies to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Back to sleep, every sleep — day and night.
- Use a firm, flat, clear surface: no pillows, duvets, bumpers or soft toys.
- Room-share (baby in their own cot) for at least the first 6 months.
- Keep the room comfortably cool and your baby smoke-free.
Why safe sleep matters
Following safe-sleep guidance is one of the most effective things parents can do to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sleep-related accidents. The guidance below reflects the recommendations of leading paediatric bodies; your own health visitor or paediatrician can tailor it to your family.
Back to sleep — every time
Always place your baby on their back for every sleep, night and day. Back sleeping is strongly linked to lower SIDS risk. Once your baby can roll both ways on their own, you don’t need to reposition them through the night — but always start them on their back.
A firm, flat, clear surface
Your baby should sleep on a firm, flat mattress in a cot, crib or Moses basket that meets current safety standards, with a well-fitting sheet and nothing else in the sleep space — no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, positioners or soft toys. These can obstruct breathing or cause overheating.
Share a room, not a bed
Paediatric guidance recommends your baby sleeps in their own cot in your room for at least the first six months. Room-sharing is protective; bed-sharing carries added risk, especially if anyone has been smoking, drinking or is very tired, or if the baby was premature or low birth weight.
Temperature and clothing
Overheating raises SIDS risk. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature (many guides suggest around 16–20°C), dress your baby in light layers or a well-fitting sleep sack rather than heavy bedding, and check they aren’t too warm by feeling the chest or back of the neck.
A smoke-free start
Keep your baby away from smoke before and after birth — it’s one of the biggest modifiable risk factors for SIDS.
A few extra protective steps
- Breastfeeding, where possible, is associated with lower SIDS risk.
- Offering a dummy at sleep times, once feeding is established, may be protective for some babies.
- Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair — this is particularly dangerous.
If anything about your baby’s sleep or breathing worries you, contact your health visitor, GP or paediatrician.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest sleep position for a baby?
On their back, for every sleep. Back sleeping is strongly associated with a lower risk of SIDS. Always start your baby on their back, even once they can roll.
Can my baby sleep in my bed?
Paediatric guidance recommends room-sharing but not bed-sharing, with your baby in their own cot for at least the first six months. Bed-sharing carries added risk in certain circumstances u2014 discuss your situation with your health visitor.
What should be in the cot?
Just a firm, flat mattress and a well-fitting sheet u2014 nothing else. Keep pillows, duvets, bumpers, positioners and soft toys out of the sleep space.
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.