Feeding, dummies and swaddling
What protects, what to be careful with, and why night feeds are meant to happen.
The short version
- Never shake a baby: if crying overwhelms you, put them somewhere safe such as their cot and walk away for a few minutes.
- If you bottle feed and follow all the other safer sleep advice, the risk of SIDS is extremely low.
- Night feeds are normal and essential: babies have very small stomachs and need to feed around the clock.
- Never force your baby to take more feed than they need in the hope of a longer night, and add nothing to bottle feeds.
- Dummies may lower SIDS risk: if you use one, use it at every sleep. Swaddling is a choice, not a safety measure.
The rest of this page explains where this comes from. You do not have to read it tonight.
About 3 minutes to read
Feeding, dummies and swaddling
The Lullaby Trust says "any amount of breastfeeding reduces the risk" of SIDS, and that "even breastfeeding for a short time can be protective."
If you bottle feed
Their own words, quoted in full because they matter: "If you bottle feed your baby and follow all the other safer sleep advice then the risk of SIDS is extremely low." How you feed your baby is not what decides whether they are safe. The sleep position, the clear flat separate space, the smoke-free air and a sober carer are.
Dummies
Using a dummy may lower the risk of SIDS. If you are breastfeeding, wait until feeding is established at around four weeks. If the dummy falls out during sleep, "there's no need to put it back in." One caveat: use it at every sleep or not at all, because BASIS, the Baby Sleep Information Source, cites McGarvey and colleagues (2003) finding an increased risk for babies who normally use a dummy but do not have one on a particular night. If you decide to stop, the usual point is between 6 and 12 months.
Swaddling
Some families swaddle and some do not. If you do, the Lullaby Trust's rules are: back sleeping only, a thin muslin or sheet, no extra bedding over the top, head uncovered, room to wiggle at the hips, arms out once your baby starts rolling, never when bed-sharing, and never if your baby is feverish.
The evidence on swaddling is not settled
BASIS flags contrary evidence that is not always mentioned: Blair and colleagues in 2009 "found an increased risk of SIDS for all swaddled babies, including those sleeping on their back." The Lullaby Trust still publishes guidance on swaddling safely, so this is not a prohibition. It does mean swaddling is a choice with an open question attached rather than a safety measure, and you are not doing anything wrong if you never swaddle.
Night feeds are meant to happen
UNICEF UK's parent leaflet puts it plainly: "It is both normal and essential for your baby to feed during the night. Babies grow quickly in the early weeks and months of their lives and have very small stomachs. Therefore, they need to feed around the clock to meet their needs."
Night waking in a young baby is not a fault to be corrected. It is how they get fed. UNICEF is also clear about the thing tired parents are sometimes tempted to try: "Never force your baby to take more feed than they need in the hope that they will sleep for longer. Forcing a baby to finish a feed will be distressing and can mean your baby is overfed." Feed responsively instead, and do not add cereal or anything else to bottle feeds.
When the crying is too much
UNICEF, verbatim: "If your crying baby is impacting on how you feel, remember it is okay to place your baby in a safe place such as a cot or a baby mat and walk away for a few minutes to calm down. Call for help if you need it. Never shake a baby."
Putting your baby down safely and stepping out of the room for a few minutes is a good decision, not a failure. Cry-sis supports parents with crying and sleepless babies on 0800 448 0737, seven days a week, 9am to 10pm.
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.