NinnaPlease read first
This is general education, not medical advice, and can't replace your own doctor, pediatrician, GP or health visitor. Safe-sleep guidance varies slightly by country, so also check your national health service. If your baby is unwell or you're worried about their breathing, seek help straight away — in an emergency, call your local emergency number.
1. Back to sleep, every sleep
Place your baby on their back for every sleep — naps and night-time — until they turn one. Side and tummy sleeping are not safe for sleep. This single habit is the most important thing you can do, and it's the cornerstone of both AAP and NHS guidance. Once your baby can roll both ways on their own, you don't need to keep repositioning them through the night, but always start them on their back.
2. A firm, flat, separate surface
Use a crib, bassinet, cot or play yard that meets current safety standards, with a firm, flat mattress. The NHS adds a useful test: the mattress should be firm enough that your baby's head doesn't sink in by more than a few millimetres. Avoid inclined surfaces, and never settle your baby to sleep on a sofa, armchair, cushion or waterbed. The surface should be designed for infant sleep — not an adult bed.
3. Keep the sleep space clear
The safest crib is an almost empty one. Keep out loose blankets, duvets, pillows, cot bumpers, soft toys and any other soft or loose items, which can obstruct breathing or cause overheating. If you use a blanket, the NHS advises tucking it in firmly no higher than your baby's shoulders and not doubling it over, and placing your baby in the "feet to foot" position — feet at the foot of the cot — so they can't wriggle down under the covers. A well-fitting baby sleep bag is a tidy alternative to blankets.
4. Room-share, don't bed-share
The AAP recommends your baby sleeps in your room, on their own separate surface, ideally for at least the first six months. Room-sharing is linked with a substantially lower risk of SIDS than bed-sharing. Sharing a bed with your baby carries particular risk if you or your partner smoke, have drunk alcohol or taken medication or drugs that make you drowsy, or if your baby was premature or low birth weight.
5. The right room temperature
Overheating raises the risk of SIDS. The NHS suggests a room temperature of around 16–20°C and dressing your baby so they're comfortably warm, not hot. Keep cribs away from radiators, heaters, fires and direct sunshine, and never use a hot water bottle or electric blanket for a baby. If your baby feels hot to the touch on the chest or back of the neck, remove a layer.
6. A smoke-free environment
Exposure to cigarette smoke before and after birth increases the risk of SIDS. Keep your baby's environment entirely smoke-free: don't smoke around your baby, don't let anyone smoke in the house, and avoid places where people smoke. The AAP also advises avoiding alcohol and drug use during pregnancy and after birth.
7. Pacifier, feeding & swaddling
Pacifier. Offering a pacifier at nap and bedtime is associated with a lower risk of SIDS. If you're breastfeeding, it's generally suggested once feeding is well established.
Feeding. The AAP notes that breast milk is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS, with longer breastfeeding offering more protection, and recommends it as the sole source of nutrition for about the first six months where it's possible. Every family's feeding journey is different, and the rest of this checklist applies regardless of how your baby is fed.
Swaddling. The AAP points out there's no evidence that swaddling reduces SIDS, and a swaddled baby who rolls onto their tummy is at higher risk. If you swaddle, stop as soon as your baby shows any sign of trying to roll.
8. Tummy time (while awake)
Tummy time is the opposite of sleep time — it's supervised play while your baby is awake, which helps build the neck and shoulder strength they need and prevents flat spots on the head. The AAP suggests starting with short sessions soon after you're home and building up to at least 15–30 minutes a day by around seven weeks. Always supervise tummy time, and always move your baby onto their back to sleep.
Where baby monitors fit in
An honest note from us
We make a baby monitor, so we want to be straight with you: no monitor prevents SIDS. The AAP specifically advises that home cardiorespiratory monitors should not be used as a way to reduce SIDS risk. A video monitor like Ninna is for reassurance and convenience — checking in on a sleeping baby — not a medical device and not a substitute for the safe-sleep practices above. Those practices are what actually lower the risk.
When to talk to a doctor
If you're unsure how any of this applies to your baby — for example because they were premature, have a health condition, or you've been told something different — ask your pediatrician, GP or health visitor. They can give advice tailored to your child. And if anything ever doesn't seem right, trust your instincts and get in touch.
Back to the full guide
This is part of our baby sleep guide, which also covers how much sleep babies need, bedtime routines, and the 4-month regression.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics — A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep and the 2022 updated safe-sleep recommendations.
- NHS — Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and Helping your baby to sleep.
- HealthyChildren.org — Back is Best: avoid soft bedding, inclined surfaces & bed-sharing.
Ninna is a monitoring app, not a medical device or healthcare provider. This article is general information, last reviewed June 2026, and is not medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your own doctor, pediatrician, GP or health visitor, and check your national health service for the safe-sleep advice that applies where you live.