Short answer: Put your baby to sleep on their back, in a clear, flat cot or Moses basket in your room for the first six months. Keep your baby smoke-free and not too warm (a room of 16–20 °C), and never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. These few steps do the most to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Of all the subjects around babies, this is the one where you don't want to get creative. The good news: the list is short, and since “back to sleep” advice was introduced in the early 1990s, sudden infant deaths have fallen sharply in the UK and many other countries. SIDS is rare — these steps make it rarer still.
The rules that make the most difference
On the back, for every sleep
Every sleep, including daytime naps and sleeps at the grandparents'. Place your baby in the “feet to foot” position — feet touching the end of the cot — so they can't wriggle down under any covers. Once your baby can roll from back to front and back again on their own, you don't need to keep turning them over, but always put them down on their back.
A clear, flat, firm sleep space
A firm, flat, waterproof mattress that fits the cot without gaps. No pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, soft toys, sleep positioners or wedges. A well-fitting baby sleeping bag (the right size, with no hood) or a thin blanket tucked in firmly no higher than the shoulders.
In your room for the first six months
Let your baby sleep in a cot or Moses basket in the same room as you, day and night, for at least the first six months.
Not too warm
Overheating is a risk factor. The Lullaby Trust recommends a room temperature of 16–20 °C. Check your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck — hands and feet are usually cool. No hats indoors, and take off outdoor layers when you come inside, even if your baby is asleep.
Smoke-free, before and after birth
Smoking in pregnancy and smoke around your baby after birth are among the biggest risk factors. Keep your home, car and baby completely smoke-free. If you want help to stop, your GP, midwife or local stop-smoking service can support you.
This list isn't meant to frighten you. It's meant to reassure you: if you do this, you have done what you can do.
Bed-sharing: the honest story
Plenty of parents sometimes sleep with their baby in their bed — sometimes planned, sometimes because they nodded off during a night feed. The safest place for your baby is in their own cot in your room. If you do share a bed, the advice is clear about when it is not safe:
- if you or your partner smoke;
- if either of you has drunk alcohol or taken drugs or medication that make you drowsy;
- if you are extremely tired;
- if your baby was born premature (before 37 weeks) or with a low birth weight (under 2.5 kg).
Never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair — that is far more dangerous than a bed. If you notice you're dozing off during night feeds on the sofa, it is safer to feed in bed: a firm, flat mattress, pillows and duvet kept away from your baby, your baby on their back, and no gaps they could slip into. Don't let your baby sleep next to other children or pets.
Things that often catch parents out
- Car seats, bouncers and swings are not for long sleeps. Car seats are designed for travel; once you arrive, move your baby onto a flat surface.
- Slings: follow the T.I.C.K.S. rule — Tight, In view at all times, Close enough to kiss, Keep chin off the chest, Supported back.
- Pods, nests and inclined sleepers: products with raised or padded sides, or a slope, are not recommended for sleep.
- Dummies: there is some evidence that a dummy at sleep time may lower the risk of SIDS. If you breastfeed, wait until feeding is well established (around 4 weeks). Don't force it, and don't put it back in if it falls out once your baby is asleep.
- Tummy time is for when your baby is awake and you're with them. It's good for muscles and the shape of the head.
Breastfeeding helps — if it works for you
Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of SIDS, and any amount helps. If it doesn't work out, the other steps on this page still protect your baby.
Talk it through with everyone who looks after your baby
Grandparents and childminders may remember advice from decades ago, when tummy sleeping was recommended. Say it out loud, even if it feels awkward. It isn't criticism of how they parented; it's new knowledge.
When to get help
- Emergency: if your baby stops breathing, turns blue or grey, or is floppy and unresponsive, call your local emergency number immediately — 999 in the UK, 911 in the US or 112 in the EU.
- A baby first-aid course (for example from the British Red Cross or a local provider) can make you feel more confident.
- Unsure about your own situation — a premature baby, a reflux diagnosis, twins? Talk it through with your midwife, health visitor or GP.
Related reading
- How do I get my baby to fall asleep on their own?
- Babies in hot weather: preventing overheating
- Born prematurely: the first months
For the whole first year: The First Year (PDF, English) is a month-by-month guide through your baby's first twelve months.
Sources
- NHS — Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
- The Lullaby Trust — Safer sleep information, Co-sleeping with your baby and Room temperature.
- NHS Best Start in Life — Safe sleep advice for babies.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — A parent's guide to safe sleep.
Written by the Bloom Guides editorial team. Last updated: 20 October 2026. General information only — not a substitute for advice from your midwife, health visitor or doctor.