Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death of an otherwise healthy baby during sleep. It is rare — but preventable. The safe sleep guidelines that follow are based on decades of research and have contributed to a significant reduction in SIDS rates wherever they've been implemented. They are the most important practical decisions you'll make in the first year.
Always on the Back
Place your baby on their back for every sleep — naps and night sleep alike — until they can roll independently in both directions. This is the single most effective SIDS prevention measure identified by research. The idea that babies might choke on their back is not supported by evidence; the gag reflex protects them when lying on their back as effectively as when lying on their front.
A Firm, Flat Sleep Surface
Your baby should sleep on a firm, flat surface — a crib or cot with a firm mattress that meets safety standards, a certified Moses basket, or an approved bedside sleeper. Soft surfaces — sofas, adult beds, cushioned armchairs, bouncers — significantly increase the risk of suffocation and rebreathing. A sleeping baby should never be left unattended on any soft surface.
Clear Sleep Space
The sleep surface should contain nothing other than your baby and the fitted sheet covering the mattress. No pillows. No loose blankets. No bumper pads. No soft toys. No positioner wedges. No extra layers. A baby sleeping bag or swaddle replaces loose blankets safely and is the recommended alternative to any loose bedding.
Room-Sharing Without Bed-Sharing
The recommendation is to room-share — keep your baby's sleep surface in your room — for at least the first 6 months. This halves the risk of SIDS compared to a baby sleeping in a separate room. Bed-sharing (sharing the same sleep surface) is different from room-sharing and is associated with increased risk, particularly when either parent smokes, has consumed alcohol, is taking sedating medication, or is significantly sleep-deprived.
Temperature
Keep the room at 18–22°C — cooler than most people's instinct for a baby. Overheating is a significant SIDS risk factor. Dress your baby in one layer more than you find comfortable in the same room, use a correctly rated sleep bag, and avoid covering their head. Feel the back of the neck or the chest rather than the hands or feet, which are normally cooler.
No Smoking
Exposure to cigarette smoke — both prenatal and postnatal — is one of the strongest modifiable SIDS risk factors. This includes second-hand smoke: a baby who sleeps in a room where smoking has occurred in the past 24 hours is at elevated risk. In the UAE, shisha smoke carries the same risk as cigarette smoke.
The Dummy
Research suggests that offering a dummy at sleep time reduces SIDS risk, possibly by keeping the airway position slightly more open during sleep. If you're breastfeeding, introduce the dummy after breastfeeding is established (usually from 3–4 weeks). If the dummy falls out during sleep, you don't need to replace it. Never attach a dummy to a cord, string, or clip that could become a strangulation hazard.
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