Safe Sleep Guidelines:

What You Need to Know

Safe sleep is one of the most important foundations of newborn care. While newborn sleep can feel unpredictable and exhausting, how and where your baby sleeps matters just as much as how long they sleep.

Safe sleep guidelines reduce known risks while your baby’s sleep, nervous system, and physical development continue to mature. These principles apply to naps and overnight sleep, and remain important throughout infancy

What does safe sleep actually mean?

Safe sleep means setting up your baby’s sleep space in a way that minimises risk, even when sleep is short, broken, or supported.

Safe sleep is not about long stretches of sleep or pushing independence. It is about making every sleep as safe as possible, regardless of how often your baby wakes.

The core safe sleep guidelines

For newborns and infants, the safest sleep looks like this:

Place baby on their back for every sleep
Use a firm, flat sleep surface
Keep the sleep space clear, no loose items
Use a fitted sheet only
Sleep baby in their own safe sleep space
Room share, same room as you, but not the same sleep surface, for at least the first 6 months

These guidelines apply for all sleep periods, including naps, overnight sleep, and short sleeps during unsettled periods.

Creating a safe sleep environment

A safe sleep setup means keeping your baby’s sleep space clear and uncluttered.

This includes avoiding:

Pillows
Loose blankets
Soft toys and comforters
Positioners and pods
Nests and loungers used for sleep
Cot bumpers
Extra padding, toppers, or rolled towels under baby
If your baby needs warmth, use appropriate clothing layers or a sleep sack, and keep the sleep space itself clear.

Setting up a safe sleep space is covered in more detail in creating a safe sleep environment, which walks through exactly what should and should not be in your baby’s cot or bassinet.

Safe Cot

Unsafe Cot

Safe sleep and a sleep conducive environment

Safe sleep and comfort often work hand in hand. While safety is the priority, a calm and supportive sleep environment can help babies settle more easily.

This may include:

Appropriate room temperature
Low lighting
White noise if helpful
A consistent sleep space

How to balance comfort and safety is explored further in creating a sleep conducive environment, which focuses on supporting sleep without compromising safety.

Room sharing and safe sleep

Room sharing is recommended for young babies, particularly during the newborn stage.

Room sharing means your baby sleeps in the same room as you, but in their own separate sleep space. This setup supports safe sleep while still allowing you to respond quickly to your baby overnight.

Bassinet to cot transitions

Many babies start sleeping in a bassinet before transitioning to a cot. This transition is often driven by growth, movement, or safety considerations rather than sleep readiness.

Common signs it may be time include:

Your baby is close to the weight limit
Your baby looks cramped or is touching the sides frequently
Increased movement, rolling attempts, or pushing up
The bassinet no longer feels stable or suitable for sleep

Understanding when and how to move from a bassinet to a cot is covered in bassinet to cot, which explains common signs your baby may be ready and how to support the change safely.

Safe sleep as babies grow

Safe sleep principles remain important as babies become more mobile and sleep patterns change.

As your baby grows, safety considerations evolve alongside:

Rolling
Increased movement
Changes in sleep equipment
Transitions such as stopping swaddling

Maintaining safe sleep practices throughout these stages helps ensure your baby’s sleep environment continues to support their development.

Common questions about safe sleep

Many parents worry that following safe sleep guidelines will make sleep harder or more broken. In reality, frequent waking in the newborn stage is normal and protective.

Safe sleep does not cause poor sleep. It supports your baby while sleep matures naturally.

If sleep feels fragmented or challenging, it is usually linked to developmental factors rather than the sleep environment itself.

When to seek extra support

If you feel unsure about how to set up a safe sleep space, or how to balance safety with comfort, support can be helpful.

Clear guidance can remove much of the anxiety around sleep in the early months, especially when you are exhausted and second guessing everything.

If exhaustion is impacting your wellbeing, you are feeling anxious or low, or you are not coping, please reach out for support. You matter too.

Looking ahead

Safe sleep is the foundation on which all future sleep support is built. As routines form and sleep matures, having a strong understanding of safety allows you to focus on supporting sleep with confidence rather than worry.

The 5–24 Month Infant Course supports families beyond the newborn stage, providing age-specific guidance as sleep continues to evolve through infancy and into toddlerhood.

The Smarter Way to Invest in Better Sleep

As your baby grows, their need for swaddling will change. Some babies transition out earlier, others later, and both can be completely normal.

If you want guidance that grows with your baby beyond the newborn stage, the 5–24 Month Infant Course supports families as sleep continues to evolve through infancy and to