ParentWise

Safe sleep for babies

Put your baby down Alone, on their Back, in a Crib, for every sleep in the first year. That's the core of AAP guidance to reduce the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation.

A

Alone

Nothing in the cot: no pillows, blankets, bumpers or toys. And no other people, including in adult beds, sofas or armchairs.

B

Back

On their back for naps and nights. Healthy babies don't choke on their back; their airway anatomy protects them.

C

Crib

A cot, bassinet or play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet, in your room for at least the first 6 months.

Quick cot check

  • Firm, flat mattress. Fitted snugly with only a fitted sheet. No incline over 10 degrees.
  • Baby on their back. For every sleep, naps included.
  • Pillow or blanket: no. Remove. Use a wearable blanket instead.
  • Bumpers: no. Remove. Banned for sale in the US since 2022.
  • Soft toys: no. Remove until at least 12 months.
  • Room-share, not bed-share. Cot or bassinet in your room, ideally for at least the first 6 months.
  • Weighted sleep sack or swaddle: no. Avoid. The AAP advises against weighted products.
  • Room temperature. Comfortable for a lightly clothed adult. Check baby’s chest or neck, not hands, for overheating.

More ways to lower the risk

  • Breastfeeding, if you can, is linked to lower SIDS risk (AAP).
  • Offer a dummy (pacifier) at sleep time once breastfeeding is established; don't force it or put it back once they're asleep.
  • Keep baby's environment smoke-free, during pregnancy and after.
  • Stay up to date on vaccines; they're associated with lower SIDS risk.
  • Supervised tummy time while awake builds strength and helps prevent flat spots.
  • If you feed in bed and might fall asleep, remove pillows and blankets from around the baby first, and move baby back to their own sleep space when you wake.

For nap timing and wake windows, see the baby sleep schedule.

When to get help

Call 911 or go to the ER now
  • Baby is not breathing, blue or limp: call 911 and start infant CPR
  • Pauses in breathing of 20 seconds or more, or colour change
Call your pediatrician today
  • Loud snoring or noisy breathing during sleep most nights
  • Your baby can only sleep upright or in a car seat
  • Questions about reflux and positioning: ask before changing sleep position

General guidance based on AAP, NHS and CDC advice, not a diagnosis. If your gut says something is wrong, call your pediatrician or nurse line. You never need permission to seek care.

Questions parents ask

What are the ABCs of safe sleep?
Alone, on their Back, in a Crib (or bassinet or play yard) that meets safety standards. The AAP recommends this for every sleep, naps included, until the first birthday.
When can my baby sleep with a blanket?
Not before 12 months. The AAP advises no soft bedding, pillows, bumpers or toys in the sleep space in the first year. A wearable blanket or sleep sack is a safe way to keep baby warm.
Is it safe for my baby to sleep on their side or tummy?
Always place babies on their back. Once your baby can roll both ways on their own, you don’t need to turn them back, but keep putting them down on their back.
When should I stop swaddling?
As soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll, often around 2–4 months (AAP, 2022).
Can my baby sleep in a car seat, swing or inclined sleeper?
Not routinely. The AAP advises moving babies to a flat, firm surface if they fall asleep in a car seat, swing, sling or carrier. Inclined sleepers were banned in the US under the Safe Sleep for Babies Act (2022).