A safe sleep space
Safe to Sleep lists these ways to reduce a baby's risk:[1]
- back to sleep for every sleep, until age 1;[1]
- a firm, flat, level surface with only a fitted sheet, and no inclined sleepers;[1]
- car seats, strollers and slings are not for routine sleep;[1]
- no pillows, blankets, bumpers or weighted items in the sleep space;[1]
- sharing a room without sharing a bed for at least 6 months;[1]
- never sleeping with the baby on a couch or armchair;[1]
- avoiding overheating.[1]
Safe to Sleep says to avoid bed-sharing especially with babies under 4 months, preterm or low-birth-weight babies, or when an adult is impaired or the surface is soft.[1]
The AAP says to dress the baby in about one layer more than an adult would wear.[2] Safe to Sleep says no product prevents sudden infant death, and home monitors do not prevent it.[1]
The NHS says the baby's sleep space can be a crib, carry cot or Moses basket, with a new mattress that fits snugly and no pillows or duvets.[3]
The car seat
NHTSA says babies under 1 should always ride rear-facing, and children should ride in the back seat through age 12.[4] It says free inspection stations can help check your seat.[4]
The NHS says to get a car seat for the trip home from the hospital.[5]
After the baby comes
Safe to Sleep suggests supervised tummy time every day, and offering a pacifier at sleep once feeding is going well.[1] It says to stop swaddling when the baby starts to roll, usually at about 3 months.[1]
Questions families ask
Can the baby sleep in our bed?
Safe to Sleep advises sharing a room without sharing a bed for at least 6 months.[1]
Which way should the car seat face?
NHTSA says babies under 1 should always ride rear-facing.[4]
Free from UpOnly Learning. Written for families of every faith. No outside ads and no affiliate links. Every fact on this page comes from the sources listed below. How we source and review these pages
Updated 2026-10-24: first published.
Sources
All sources were opened and checked on the date shown.
- NICHD Safe to Sleep campaign (NIH). Ways to Reduce Baby's Risk. Checked October 24, 2026.
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NHS (United Kingdom). 31 weeks pregnant guide. Checked October 24, 2026.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Car Seats and Booster Seats. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NHS (United Kingdom). 33 weeks pregnant guide. Checked October 24, 2026.