Back, clear, close: a safe sleep checklist for every nap and night
A simple safe sleep checklist to keep by the cot: on the back, in a clear cot, close to you, plus room temperature, smoke-free spaces and where babies should never sleep.
By PreggieLover 4 min read
Every time you lay your baby down, whether for a twenty-minute nap or the long stretch of the night, the same few habits help keep them safe. They are easy to learn and quick to check. Keep this list somewhere you will see it, and share it with anyone who looks after your baby: grandparents, a nanny, your partner, a babysitter.
The heart of it: back, clear, close
- Back: lay your baby on their back for every sleep, day and night.
- Clear: nothing in the cot except your baby, a fitted sheet and their sleeping bag or a thin, firmly tucked blanket.
- Close: for the first six months, your baby sleeps in their own cot or Moses basket in the same room as you, for naps as well as at night.
The cot checklist
- A firm, flat, waterproof mattress that fits the cot with no gaps around the edges.
- No pillows, duvets, quilts, cot bumpers, soft toys, sleep positioners, wedges, nests or pods.
- Baby placed in the feet-to-foot position: their feet at the bottom of the cot, so they cannot wriggle down under covers.
- Either a well-fitting baby sleeping bag of the right size for their weight, with no hood, or thin blankets tucked in firmly no higher than their shoulders.
- No hat indoors for sleep. Babies lose heat through their heads.
- Cot away from radiators, heaters, direct sunlight and blind or curtain cords.
Keeping the temperature right
Babies can overheat easily, and overheating raises the risk of sudden infant death. A room temperature of around 16 to 20°C is comfortable for most sleeping babies. Use light bedding and adjust layers with the weather. To check, feel the back of your baby's neck or their tummy: if they are hot or sweaty, remove a layer. Hands and feet often feel cool, and that is normal.
In hot weather, light cotton clothing, fewer layers and a fan circulating air in the room help. If your baby is unwell with a fever, use fewer layers, not more.
A smoke-free space
Keep your baby's world smoke-free, including the home, the car and anyone holding the baby. Smoking during pregnancy or around a baby greatly increases the risk of sudden infant death. If anyone in your home wants to stop, your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help.
Where babies should not sleep
- Never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. This is one of the most dangerous places to sleep with a baby. If you feel yourself dozing during a feed, put your baby down in their cot.
- Car seats are for travel. If your baby falls asleep in a car seat, bouncer or swing, move them to a flat, firm sleep surface when you can, and take regular breaks on long journeys.
- Slings need care. Keep your baby upright, close enough to kiss, with their face visible and their chin off their chest.
- Adult beds carry risks. Your baby's own cot is the safest place. If there is any chance you might fall asleep with your baby in your bed, prepare it: move pillows and duvets away from them, keep them on their back, and make sure they cannot fall or get trapped. Never share a bed if you or anyone in it has smoked, drunk alcohol or taken drugs or medicine that makes you drowsy, or if your baby was premature or small at birth.
Swaddling and dummies
If you swaddle, use thin material, keep it no higher than the shoulders, leave room for the hips and legs to bend, and stop as soon as your baby shows signs of rolling. If you choose to offer a dummy, offer it at every sleep and do not force it; if you are breastfeeding, many professionals suggest waiting until feeding is well established.
When baby starts to roll
Keep laying your baby on their back. Once they can roll both ways by themselves, you do not need to keep turning them back over, but the cot must stay clear.
Gadgets are not a substitute
Breathing monitors and smart devices may give some parents peace of mind, but they do not prevent sudden infant death and are not a replacement for these safe sleep habits.
Peace as you lay them down
When you have done what you can, you can rest your heart in God's care. David prayed, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). These habits are a loving way to steward your baby's safety. You can lay them down with a prayer, and then lay yourself down in peace.
A prayer at the cot side
Lord, I lay my baby down in Your care. Watch over their breathing and their rest, and help me remember every safe habit, even when I am tired. Let us both sleep in peace tonight, knowing You keep us. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest way for a baby to sleep?
On their back, in their own clear cot or Moses basket with a firm, flat mattress, in the same room as you for at least the first six months, for naps and at night.
Can my baby sleep with a pillow or cot bumper?
No. Keep the cot clear of pillows, duvets, bumpers, soft toys, positioners and pods. Use a well-fitting baby sleeping bag or a thin blanket tucked no higher than the shoulders.
What room temperature is best for a sleeping baby?
Around 16 to 20°C suits most sleeping babies. Feel the back of the neck or tummy, and remove a layer if your baby is hot or sweaty.
This article is for general information and encouragement, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor or midwife about your own health and your baby's.
