Safe sleep

This advice is for babies up to 1 year old. Place your baby on their back for all naps and at night, on a firm, flat surface.

Checked against CDC and AAP guidance on October 31, 2026

The sleep space

Back sleeping is much less risky than sleeping on the stomach or side, for all sleep times, including naps and nighttime.

  • Use a crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard that meets CPSC safety standards, on a surface that doesn’t indent when your baby lies on it.
  • Use only a tight-fitting mattress and a fitted sheet.
  • Keep pillows, quilts, comforters, blankets, toys and bumper pads out of the sleep area.

Where your baby sleeps

  • Share a room, not a bed, for at least the first 6 months, with your baby’s sleep space close to your bed.
  • If you bring your baby into your bed to feed or comfort them, put them back in their own sleep space before you fall asleep.
  • Avoid falling asleep with your baby on a couch or armchair.
  • If your baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, swing, carrier or sling, move them to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as you can.

Keeping warm

If you’re worried about the cold, dress your baby in layers or use a wearable blanket. As a general rule, your baby needs one layer more than you’re wearing. Sweating, a hot chest or flushed skin can mean they’re too warm. Don’t use anything weighted on or near your baby.

Pacifiers

A pacifier at nap time and bedtime can lower the risk of SIDS, even if it falls out after your baby is asleep, and you don’t have to put it back in. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is established. If your baby refuses one, that’s OK. Don’t hang a pacifier around your baby’s neck or attach it to their clothes during sleep.

Swaddling and rolling

Swaddling doesn’t lower the risk of SIDS. If you swaddle, always place your baby on their back, and stop when they look like they’re trying to roll over. Rolling usually starts around 3 to 4 months, but can happen earlier.

If your baby is comfortable rolling both ways, you don’t need to keep turning them onto their back. If they roll only onto their tummy, keep placing them on their back to sleep.

Sources

This guide is for information only and is based on CDC and AAP guidance. It isn’t medical advice and doesn’t replace a doctor. Guidance can differ between countries, so follow your doctor’s advice and your local health service. If you have any concern about your baby’s health, always contact your doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number. If you’re worried about your baby’s sleep, contact your pediatrician.