Safe Sleeping Practices for Newborns

Cuddling with your baby is a fantastic way to bond, but it’s always safest to put them back to sleep in their cot before you go to bed.

Your baby’s cot is the safest sleeping space for them in the first 6 months. They should be lying on their back, and the cot should be in the same room you sleep in.

This guide will help you create and maintain a safe sleep space for your baby and show you how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

How to create a safe sleep space for your baby

When creating a safe sleep surface for your newborn, you shouldn’t focus on buying multiple expensive items but should focus on the essentials. These include:

• A cot or Moses Basket – this is the safest place your baby can sleep. Ensure nothing on the cot could cover your baby’s nose or mouth or overheat them. Because of this, we don’t recommend pillows, cot bumpers and loose bedding.
• A firm, flat mattress – this should ideally be a new mattress. You can check if it is firm by ensuring your newborn’s head doesn’t sink into it by more than a few millimetres. Babies can get too hot if the mattress isn’t firm enough.
• Baby sleeping bags – these help reduce the risk of SIDS because they prevent your baby from moving underneath the bedding. Check that the sleeping bag fits around your baby’s shoulders so they don’t slip in.
• Baby blankets – an alternative to baby sleeping bags. Cellular cotton blankets keep your baby warm and allow airflow. Tuck the blanket firmly, but don’t take it any higher than the shoulders.

Advice for sleeping with your baby

We always recommend letting your baby sleep alone in their Moses basket or cot in the same room as you instead of sleeping with them.

However, there will likely be times when you will sleep with your baby, so you must know the safe practices and when it is unsafe.

When is it unsafe to sleep with your baby?

Co-sleeping with your baby is unsafe if:

• You are exhausted.
• Your baby has signs of illness, such as a fever.
• Your baby was born prematurely before 37 weeks or had low weight at birth (lower than 2.5kg)
• You or your partner have been drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking recreational drugs or medication that results in tiredness.

Additionally, falling asleep with your baby on a chair or sofa increases the risk of SIDS.

Baby co-sleeping top tips

If you plan to co-sleep with your baby, here is what we recommend:

• Ensure that there is no way your baby can fall out of bed.
• Ensure you don’t trap your baby between the mattress and the wall.
• Use baby sleeping bags and keep blankets, sheets and pillows away from them.
• Don’t let pets or your other children (such as toddlers) in the bed at the same time as you or your baby.
• Always position your baby on their back.

Reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Although some babies die suddenly from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), experts do know how to reduce the risk.

First, you must never place your baby on their tummy or side to sleep; always put them on their back. Once they are old enough to roll, you don’t need to worry if they turn while sleeping.

Also, babies are at a higher risk of SIDS if they get too hot or cold, their head gets covered or if someone smokes near them.

More information on safer sleep advice for newborns

We advise contacting your midwife if you would like further information on ensuring your baby sleeps safely.

For other related queries, see our page on caring for your baby.