On their back, for every sleep
The single most important safe sleep step is position. The NHS advises putting your baby to sleep on their back from the very first day. That applies to naps as well as night-time sleep, at home and when you are away.
Daytime naps are easy to overlook. A baby who dozes off in a car seat, on a play mat or on a grandparent’s lap still needs a safe place to sleep. When a nap is about to happen, the safest default is to move your baby onto their back in their own cot or Moses basket.
Once your baby can roll from their back to their front and back again by themselves, you do not need to keep turning them over during the night. Keep putting them down on their back at the start of every sleep.
A clear, firm, flat sleep space
The NHS describes the safest sleep space as a cot or Moses basket with a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition. What is not in the cot matters as much as what is:
- No pillows or duvets.
- No cot bumpers.
- No soft toys.
- No pods or nests.
Place your baby in the “feet to foot” position, with their feet touching the end of the cot. If you use a blanket, tuck it in firmly no higher than their shoulders so it cannot slip over their head.
Images of babies sleeping among pillows and soft toys are common in advertising and on social media. They show the opposite of the NHS advice. A cot that looks bare is a cot that is set up safely.
The same room for the first 6 months
The NHS advises keeping your baby in the same room as you for sleep, day and night, until they are at least 6 months old. That means the cot or Moses basket is in the room where an adult is — for naps too, where you can manage it.
The right temperature
Babies can overheat. The NHS gives practical guidance:
- A room temperature of about 16 to 20°C is comfortable for a sleeping baby.
- Check whether your baby is too hot by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. If they feel sweaty, remove a layer.
- Keep your baby’s head uncovered while they sleep.
Hands and feet often feel cool even when a baby is warm enough, so the chest or the back of the neck is a better guide. A simple room thermometer can help when you are unsure.
Sofas, armchairs and bed sharing
The NHS is clear that you should never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. This is one of the most dangerous situations for a baby. If you feel yourself getting sleepy while feeding on the sofa, put your baby down in their cot first.
Some parents choose to share a bed with their baby. The NHS advises not to share a bed if:
- You, or anyone in the bed, smokes.
- You, or anyone in the bed, has drunk alcohol.
- You, or anyone in the bed, has taken drugs or medicine that makes you drowsy.
- You, or anyone in the bed, is extremely tired.
- Your baby was born premature (before 37 weeks) or with a low birth weight.
Being “extremely tired” describes many new parents. Be honest with yourself about it, and talk through your sleep arrangements with your midwife or health visitor.
A smoke-free baby
The NHS advises keeping your baby smoke-free before and after birth. That includes not smoking during pregnancy, not letting anyone smoke around your baby, and not sharing a bed with your baby if anyone in the bed smokes.
Making safe sleep the habit for everyone
Safe sleep only works if everyone who puts the baby down follows it: parents, grandparents, a nanny, a friend helping for an afternoon. Advice can change between generations, so it is worth showing other caregivers this checklist rather than assuming they know it.
- Back to sleep, every sleep.
- Feet to foot, blanket no higher than the shoulders.
- Clear cot: no pillows, duvets, bumpers, soft toys, pods or nests.
- Same room as an adult until at least 6 months.
- About 16–20°C, head uncovered.
- Never asleep together on a sofa or armchair.
A shared care diary can help with handovers — for example, letting the next caregiver see when the baby last slept. Zaripo is being prepared to record sleep start and end times your family enters. It does not monitor breathing, detect sleep position or make sleep safer by itself. The steps above are what lower the risk.
When to get help
Get urgent advice — contact a GP, health visitor or midwife, or NHS 111 in the UK — if:
- You are worried about your baby’s sleep, breathing or temperature. Talk to your health visitor or GP.
- Your baby has a temperature of 38°C or more and is under 3 months old.
Call your emergency number now — 999 in the UK, 112 in Turkey and most of Europe — if:
- Your baby has difficulty breathing, pauses in breathing, or the skin sucks in under the ribs.
- Your baby is floppy, very difficult to wake or does not stay awake.
- Skin, lips or tongue look pale, blue, grey or blotchy.
Outside the UK, use your local doctor, health line or emergency number. Trust your instincts: if you are worried about your baby, get help.
Questions parents also ask
Can my baby nap on their front during the day?
No. The NHS advises putting your baby on their back for every sleep, including daytime naps. Once they can roll back and forth by themselves you do not need to turn them over, but always put them down on their back.
Are cot bumpers and baby nests safe?
The NHS advises keeping the cot clear of pillows, duvets, bumpers, soft toys, pods and nests. A firm, flat, waterproof mattress in a clear cot or Moses basket is the safest sleep space.
What room temperature is best for a sleeping baby?
About 16 to 20°C. Check your baby’s chest or the back of their neck rather than their hands, remove a layer if they are sweaty, and keep their head uncovered.
How long should my baby sleep in my room?
The NHS advises keeping your baby in the same room as you for sleep until they are at least 6 months old.
Is it safe to fall asleep with my baby on the sofa?
No. The NHS says never to fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. If you feel sleepy while holding your baby, put them down on their back in their cot.