Safer sleep for babies
The rules that reduce the risk of sudden infant death, and honest, practical guidance on co-sleeping rather than a simple "never".
The four things that matter most
The Lullaby Trust's advice comes down to four messages. The fourth is newer than most parenting books reflect.
- Put your baby on their back for every sleep.
- In a clear, flat, separate sleep space.
- Keep them smoke free day and night.
- Babies need a sober carer to respond to their needs.
Follow this for every sleep, day and night, until your baby is 12 months old. If your baby was born prematurely, count 12 months from their due date, not their birth date.
In this section
Sleeping position and airway
On the back, feet to foot, and why seats and slings need care.
The sleep space
A clear, flat, firm, separate surface, the right temperature, and room sharing.
Co-sleeping and bed-sharing
When it is genuinely dangerous, and how to make a bed safer in advance.
Feeding, dummies and swaddling
What protects, what to be careful with, and why night feeds are meant to happen.
How likely is SIDS?
SIDS is rare and has become much rarer. Since the Back to Sleep campaign in 1991, the Lullaby Trust reports the rate of SIDS has fallen by 81%. UNICEF quotes the 2017 figures: 183 babies died of SIDS in the UK, 0.03% of all births.
The risk is also concentrated. 87% of SIDS deaths happen when babies are six months old or less, and the most vulnerable time is under three months. That is worth knowing in both directions: it is why the first months deserve real care, and why the pressure eases as your baby grows.
Does my baby need a breathing monitor or a special mattress?
No. BASIS, the Baby Sleep Information Source, says of monitoring devices that they "are not medically certified, and there are so far no studies suggesting they might protect against SIDS". Be wary too of any product that promises deeper or longer infant sleep, because being able to rouse is thought to be protective. The items the Lullaby Trust names as things to take out include positioners, wedges, pods and nests. What actually reduces risk is free: back sleeping, a clear flat separate space, smoke-free air, room sharing for six months and a sober carer.
What about grandparents, childminders and nurseries?
They need the same information: the Lullaby Trust says "routine is key, as doing things differently can actually increase the risk of SIDS." Much of this advice changed after today's grandparents raised their own children, so a person can be experienced, loving and out of date at once. Staying overnight elsewhere is when routines slip, so think about where your baby will sleep before you go.
I fell asleep on the sofa with my baby last night. Have I harmed them?
Your baby is here and is fine. Over 40% of parents in that Lullaby Trust survey have done the same, which is why this page is written this way rather than as a warning aimed at people more careless than you. The useful thing now is tonight's plan: prepare the bed in advance, so that if you do fall asleep during a feed it happens in the safer place instead of the more dangerous one.
Where this comes from
- The Lullaby Trust, Safer sleep for babies: a guide for parents and carers (last reviewed November 2024), for the four headline messages and the 81% fall in SIDS since 1991.
- The Lullaby Trust, safer sleep overview, for following the advice until 12 months, or 12 months from the due date for premature babies.
- The Lullaby Trust, sleeping position, for back sleeping and rolling.
- The Lullaby Trust, response on chest sleeping, for the supervised chest-sleeping distinction.
- NHS, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), for back sleeping and the feet-to-foot position.
- The Lullaby Trust, keeping a clear cot and mattresses and bedding, for what to take out, the three times risk from quilts, pillows and duvets, and second-hand mattresses.
- The Lullaby Trust, your baby's airway and car seats, for inclined positions and the two hour car seat limit.
- The Lullaby Trust, room temperature, for 16 to 20 degrees and checking the chest or back of the neck.
- The Lullaby Trust, room sharing, for the first six months.
- The Lullaby Trust, smoking, for smoking and the absence of vaping research.
- The Lullaby Trust, co-sleeping and alcohol, for when bed-sharing is dangerous, the safer bed-sharing steps and planning ahead.
- UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, Co-sleeping and SIDS: A Guide for Health Professionals (last updated October 2019, using 2017 data), for the absolute risk figures, the sofa quotation and the harm-reduction argument.
- Blair et al., PLOS ONE, 2014, for the peer-reviewed odds ratios.
- The Lullaby Trust, survey of over 3,400 new parents, for the proportion who have fallen asleep on a sofa or armchair, and for the "up to 50 times" figure we have chosen not to present as a research finding.
- The Lullaby Trust, breastfeeding, dummies and swaddling, for the protective factors and the bottle feeding reassurance quoted in full.
- BASIS (Baby Sleep Information Source), sleep aids, for the McGarvey 2003 dummy finding and the Blair 2009 swaddling finding.
- The Lullaby Trust, premature babies, for avoiding co-sleeping until one year from the due date.
- The Lullaby Trust, other carers and babysitters, for "routine is key".
- The Lullaby Trust, what is SIDS, for 87% of deaths occurring at six months or under.
- UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative parent leaflet (2025 edition), for night feeding being normal and essential, responsive feeding, the TICKS sling checklist and "never shake a baby".
Last checked 1 August 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about your child, speak to your health visitor or GP.