Safer Sleep for Babies: What Parents Need to Know

Creating a safe sleep space helps reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). These simple steps can make sleep safer for your baby, day and night.

1. The Safest Place for Your Baby to Sleep

• For the first six months, your baby should sleep in the same room as you, in their own clear, flat, firm sleep space such as a cot or Moses basket. [nhs.uk], [lullabytrust.org.uk]
• Always place your baby on their back to sleep. [lullabytrust.org.uk]

2. Keep the Cot Clear

Your baby only needs:

• A firm, flat, waterproof mattress
• Lightweight bedding (or a well‑fitting sleeping bag)

Avoid:

• Pillows, duvets, cot bumpers
• Soft toys or comforters
• Nests, pods, wedges, rolled-up towels
• Bulky or weighted bedding
  [lullabytrust.org.uk]

A clear cot reduces the risk of your baby’s face being accidentally covered.

3. Sleeping Bags and Bedding

• Baby sleeping bags can help prevent babies wriggling under loose blankets—make sure they fit well at the shoulders.
• Choose the correct tog rating for room temperature (e.g., 2.5 tog for 16–20°C). [nhs.uk]
• If using blankets, place your baby’s feet at the foot of the cot and tuck blankets no higher than their shoulders. [nhs.uk]

4. Room Temperature

• Keep the room between 16–20°C.
• Babies who get too hot have a higher risk of SIDS.
  [lullabytrust.org.uk]

5. Smoke‑Free Is Essential

• Keep your baby’s environment completely smoke‑free, before and after birth. [lullabytrust.org.uk]

6. Feeding and Safer Sleep

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS, but formula-fed babies can still sleep safely by following all other guidance. [lullabytrust.org.uk]

7. Co‑Sleeping / Bed Sharing

Many parents do it—so it’s important to understand safer ways to do so:

• Never co-sleep if you or your partner has drunk alcohol, taken drugs, or smoked.
• Avoid co-sleeping on sofas or armchairs, which is extremely dangerous.
  (General guidance referenced from national safer sleep resources.) [unicef.org.uk]

8. Choosing Baby Products

There are many baby products on the market, but your baby only needs a few essentials. The 2026 Safer Sleep Week theme “Baby Necessities” highlights focusing on simplicity over marketing.