Safe Sleep Guidelines Every Parent Should Know

Where and how your baby sleeps is one of the most important safety decisions you will make. Pediatric sleep safety organizations publish clear, research-backed guidelines — here they are in plain language. If anything here conflicts with advice from family or friends, your pediatrician is the tiebreaker.

The essentials of a safe sleep space

• Always place your baby on their back to sleep, for naps and nighttime, for the entire first year.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface — a crib, bassinet, or play yard with a firm mattress and a fitted sheet only.
• Keep the sleep space bare: no blankets, pillows, bumpers, stuffed animals, or positioners.
• Dress your baby in a wearable blanket or sleep sack instead of using loose blankets.

Room sharing, not bed sharing

Sleep safety guidelines recommend that your baby sleep in your room — in their own separate sleep space — for at least the first six months, ideally the first year. Room sharing keeps your baby close for feeding and comforting while giving them their own safe surface. Couches, armchairs, and adult beds are not safe sleep surfaces for infants, including for naps.

Temperature and other habits

Keep the room at a comfortable temperature for a lightly clothed adult — many guidelines suggest around 68–72°F (20–22°C) — and avoid overdressing your baby. A practical rule: dress your baby in no more than one layer more than you are wearing. If their chest feels hot or sweaty, remove a layer.

If you swaddle, stop at the first signs of rolling over — usually somewhere between 2 and 4 months — and switch to a sleep sack instead. A swaddled baby who rolls onto their tummy faces a higher risk, so this transition is not one to postpone. Offering a pacifier at sleep time is associated with safer sleep in many guidelines — ask your pediatrician if you have questions about pacifiers and feeding.

Once your baby can roll both ways on their own, you do not need to reposition them if they roll during sleep — but always start them on their back. If you ever feel unsure about a product marketed for infant sleep (inclined sleepers, nests, or positioners), check with your pediatrician before using it.

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