Sleep safety essentials & when to seek help
Calm, clear reference — not a substitute for medical advice.
Safe sleep essentials (0–12 months)
- Place baby on their back for every sleep
- Use a firm, flat, bare sleep surface designed for infant sleep
- Keep pillows, loose blankets, stuffed toys, bumpers and other loose items out of the sleep space
- Consider room-sharing in early infancy, following local guidance
- Avoid overheating; dress baby comfortably for the room
- Keep the environment smoke-free
- Follow your local paediatric and public-health safe sleep guidance
- For babies under 12 months, if co-sleeping, do so safely using a co-sleeper that is firmly attached to the adult bed. The baby should not be placed between two adults. Instead, the baby should sleep with an adult on one side only, with a safety railing or protective barrier on the other side.
Safe sleep recommendations can vary slightly by region and change over time. Always follow the guidance of your own healthcare team and local health authorities.
Medical red flags
- Breathing pauses, skin discoloration, struggling to breathe, persistent noisy breathing during sleep
- Excessive night sweats
- Excessive tossing and turning while asleep
- A baby under 3 months with fever
- Poor feeding, dehydration concerns, poor weight gain, unusual lethargy
- Severe pain, repeated vomiting, or parent feels their child is unsafe
- Extreme parental exhaustion creating a safety risk
- Any concern that feels urgent or frightening to the parent
Please seek prompt medical advice or emergency care based on the seriousness of the symptoms and your local medical guidance. This tool cannot assess urgent health concerns.
If you feel something is not right, trust your instincts and seek medical help. You know your child best.
When to consider extra sleep support
- Persistent sleep difficulties affecting family wellbeing
- Frequent night waking that feels unmanageable
- Ongoing nap challenges or bedtime battles
- Confusion about age-appropriate sleep patterns
- Desire for a gentle, consistent plan aligned with your parenting values
Gentle, personalised support is available
Book a free 15-minute call with Robynn to explore whether sleep coaching feels right for your family.
Book your 15-minute consultThis tool provides general sleep education and is for reference only. It is not medical advice and does not replace assessment or guidance from your child's paediatrician or other qualified healthcare professionals. For feeding, breathing, growth, illness, safety, or developmental concerns, please contact your child's paediatrician or appropriate healthcare professional.