Where should my baby sleep? A guide

Where should my baby sleep?

Places your baby can sleep include:

• a cot
• a bedside cot or side-sleeper
• a Moses basket
• a travel cot
• a sling
• your bed.

Choosing where your baby sleeps is super-personal and might depend on your culture. You might also be absolutely sure that your baby will sleep in bed with you. On the other hand, you might feel like you’d never relax with them in the bed.

Oh, and remember – you don’t always choose where your baby sleeps. They can and will nod off wherever and whenever they fancy, especially in the early months.

Where should my baby sleep at night?

Until they are six months old, you should put your baby to sleep in the same room as you in a separate cot or Moses basket. This arrangement has the lowest chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (Blair et al, 1999; Carpenter et al, 2004).

Where should my baby sleep during the daytime?

Actually, the same rules apply during the daytime as they do at night. Ideally, for the first six months, your baby will sleep in their Moses basket or cot in the same room as you even for their daytime naps (Lullaby Trust, 2018).

"In reality, babies often fall asleep in the car seat, pram or buggy, sling or anywhere they get comfy and fancy a snooze."

There can be downsides to those unexpected snoozes though. For example, your baby might overheat if they’re dressed for the cold outside but then they’re moved inside. Remember to remove any extra layers if that happens and choose outer clothes with zips to make this easier (Fleming et al, 1996).

If your baby is very young, don’t let them sleep in their car seat for more than 90 minutes (Lullaby Trust, 2016). If you arrive home when they’ve dozed off in there, transfer them over to a Moses basket.

And if your baby is in a soft sling, especially if they are under three months old, make sure you can always see their face. Following the T.I.C.K.S. guidelines can help to keep them safe.

Other baby sleeping safety tips

To keep your sleeping baby as safe as possible:

• Put your baby to sleep on their back. For more information read our article on the best sleeping position for your baby.
• Make sure your baby can’t wriggle down under covers or have their head covered by the bedding. See our article on cot safety.
• Do not smoke anywhere near your baby.
• Check that your baby’s cot, bedside cot or travel cot conforms to safety standards.
• Don’t use bumpers or pillows.
• If you’re using a bedside crib, make sure the folding side is fully down so your baby can’t get stuck on it. For more information see our piece on cot safety.
• When your baby is in a sling, make sure the soft fabric doesn't completely cover their head – you should always be able to see your baby's face when you glance down. Take a look here for guidance on how to safely wear a sling.

(Blair et al, 1996; Blair et al, 2009)

Co-sleeping and bed sharing

Around half of all parents in the UK sleep with their baby at some time in the first few months after birth (Blair and Ball, 2004). This is known as co-sleeping or bed sharing and it’s important to know how to do it safely as it carries risks (Ball and Blair, 2017). See our piece on co-sleeping for more information.

You might co-sleep by choice, possibly because you find it less exhausting than getting up each time to feed or settle your baby (Ball et al, 1999; Ball, 2006). Or you may just end up doing it accidentally because you nod off when you’re feeding or cuddling your baby (McKenna and Volpe, 2007).

But do bear in mind that co-sleeping or bed sharing puts your baby at risk of SIDS. Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair as it greatly increases the risk of SIDS (Carpenter et al, 2004; Blair et al, 2009; Blair et al, 2014; Ball and Blair, 2017).

What is bedside sleeping?

Bedside sleeping is when your baby sleeps in a bedside cot. This allows you to be close to them without sharing the same bed.

The idea is that the bedside cot attaches securely to your bed, at the same level as your mattress with the side next to you open. Then you can reach out to your baby without the bother of getting out of bed.

There’s limited research on bedside cots but possible benefits include:

• Making life easier when your movements are limited after a caesarean (you won’t have to get out of bed to feed or settle your baby).
• Closeness might help with bonding.
• You can easily settle your baby back to sleep.
• Your baby will be nearby for night feeds.
• It might encourage breastfeeding if you had an intervention-free birth.

(Ball et al, 2006; Ball, 2008; Tully and Ball, 2011; Robinson, 2014)

The same health and safety guidelines for bed-sharing apply if you use the bedside cot as they do for your baby sleeping in your bed. Check out our cot safety and safe co-sleeping pages for advice.

This page was last reviewed in June 2021.

Further information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.

The Lullaby Trust has lots of useful information and support for parents about safe sleep.

You might find attending one of our NCT New Baby groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.