Safe baby sleep: the simple habits that protect your baby (0-6 months)

During the first nights with a newborn, you check their breathing every ten minutes — that's normal, and it passes. The good news: the habits that truly protect your baby's sleep are few, simple, and the same for everyone. Once they're in place, they become second nature and you'll sleep (a little) more easily.

On the back, for every sleep

This is THE thing to remember: your baby sleeps on their back, for the night as for every nap, until their first birthday. This position keeps the airways clear, and it's the habit whose protective effect against sudden infant death is best proven. Don't worry about spit-up: on their back, a healthy baby naturally swallows it or brings it back up. And once they can roll over on their own both ways, there's no need to reposition them — simply lay them down on their back to begin with.

An empty crib — truly empty

The perfect bed for a baby looks like an almost bare bed: a firm mattress that fits the crib, a well-tucked fitted sheet, and that's all. No blanket, no pillow, no bumper, no positioning cushion, no soft toy — even the cutest one will have to wait until the first birthday. To keep your baby warm, the solution is the sleep sack (baby sleeping bag): it keeps them warm without ever riding up over the face.

A room around 18-20 °C

A baby is not good at protecting themselves from heat, and overheating is one of the identified risk factors. Aim for a room between 18 and 20 °C — cooler than you might imagine. To tell whether your baby is too warm, don't rely on their hands (often cool, which is normal): place two fingers on the back of the neck. Damp and hot? Take off a layer. A hat is for outdoors: never for sleeping.

In your room, not in your bed

Having your baby sleep in the parents' room, in their own bed, is recommended at least for the first 6 months: you hear them, they sense you, and this closeness is itself protective. Sharing the adult bed, on the other hand, increases the risks — a duvet, pillows and a soft mattress don't offer the same margin as a baby's bed. The good compromise: a bassinet or bedside (co-sleeper) crib pushed up against your bed.

The other allies of safe sleep

Three additions that count: a smoke-free environment (during pregnancy and after), breastfeeding when it's possible — both are associated with a reduced risk —, and a dummy (pacifier) as your baby falls asleep, if they accept it (without attaching it with a cord, and without forcing it back in if it falls out). Finally, the bouncer, the car seat and the sofa are not places for sleep: to sleep, move your baby onto a flat, firm surface.

This article is for information only and has been reviewed by the Mama4care team. It does not replace medical advice: for any question about your health or your baby's, talk to your midwife, doctor or paediatrician. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.