Baby Sleep and Safe Sleep

The first months with a newborn are a sleep marathon—and you're the one running it! This guide covers two things: the rules for putting your baby to sleep as safely as possible (these are non-negotiable) and the ways to settle into a sleep routine over time (these take patience).

A little reassurance up front: the "baby who sleeps through the night" is a myth in the early months. Your baby waking often isn't a malfunction—it's the nature of their tiny stomach and developing brain.

These rules dramatically reduce the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS)—apply them at every sleep, by every caregiver:

• ON THE BACK: Your baby is put down on their back for every sleep until age 1. Side-lying isn't safe either.
• IN THEIR OWN BED, IN YOUR ROOM: For at least the first 6 months, your baby sleeps in the same room as you but in their own separate bed. Sharing a bed increases the risk; falling asleep on a couch or in your arms is riskier still.
• AN EMPTY, FIRM MATTRESS: A firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet. Pillows, comforters, soft toys, crib bumpers—none of them belong in the bed.
• A COOL ROOM: 61–68°F (16–20°C) is ideal. Overheating is a risk factor; check your baby's temperature at the back of the neck rather than the hands (hands can be cool—that's normal).
• A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT: Smoking in the home and around the baby is one of the biggest boosters of the risk.
• THE PACIFIER IS YOUR FRIEND: Offering a pacifier at sleep time reduces SIDS risk (for a breastfed baby, after breastfeeding is established, from around week 3–4). If it falls out once they're asleep, you don't need to put it back.

• If you swaddle: the baby still lies ON THEIR BACK, the hips are wrapped loosely, and you say goodbye to swaddling the moment your baby shows signs of rolling over (usually 2–4 months).
• A safe alternative to a blanket: a baby sleep sack. Make sure the size is right, so it can't slip up over the head.
• Clothing rule: one layer more than what you're wearing is enough; don't put them to sleep in a hat (heat is released through the head).

• 0–1 month: about 14–17 hours a day—but in 1–3 hour stretches, with no sense of day and night.
• 1–3 months: ~14–16 hours; sleep cycles start to lengthen and nights begin to consolidate.
• 4–6 months: ~12–15 hours; most babies sleep in longer nighttime blocks.
• 6–12 months: ~12–15 hours (including 2–3 daytime naps).

These are averages—if your baby is a bit below or above them and is happy and growing, there's no problem.

• Make daytime bright and full of sound, and nighttime dark, boring, and hushed; the internal clock gets set within a few weeks.
• A simple evening ritual (a warm bath, dim light, a lullaby, breast or bottle) is your baby's "sleep is coming" signal—it's never too early to start early.
• Every now and then, try putting your baby down drowsy but awake, before they're fully asleep; it lays the groundwork for learning to drift off on their own (if it doesn't work, don't worry—it's a goal, not a rule).
• If sleep seems to fall apart around 3–4 months: this is commonly called a "sleep regression"; it's actually the maturing of sleep cycles and it's temporary. Stick to your routine.

This guide is general information compiled from reliable health sources; your baby's sleep patterns and safety vary from person to person, and nothing here is a substitute for an examination. Always make your decisions under the guidance of your doctor and family physician; whenever you're unsure, consult them first.