Newborn sleep

Your baby should be placed on their back when sleeping to ensure their airways are clear and their protective reflexes are able to work. This should be done from the very beginning of having your child and for all periods of sleep, both day and night. 

Babies who are rolling should not be swaddled and instead should wear a sleep sack that allows their arms to move.   

Babies should be on their tummy during playtime to strengthen their muscles, under close supervision. 

Babies should sleep in their own space, with a firm mattress and fitted sheet.   

Babies do not need toys, blankets, or decorations to sleep well, and these items can significantly increase the risk of SIDS and suffocation.   

Do not leave babies unattended in an adult bed, on a couch, cushion or beanbag. Make sure there are no objects hanging over or near your baby’s cot, including blinds, curtains or electrical appliances such as heaters. 

Co-sleeping in the same bed as an adult is not recommended for SIDS risk. 

Babies do not need beanies, hoods, headbands, or other coverings on their heads during sleep.  

Newborns control much of their heat through their head while sleeping, so keeping their head and face uncovered means they can regulate temperature much better. It also reduces the risk of any extra choking or suffocation hazards. 

Smoking cigarettes or vapes during pregnancy and after your baby is born, or having people in your household who are smoking increases the risk of SIDS. If you or a family member do smoke, never smoke around the baby or inside where the baby might be. You should also consider trying to quit for the health of yourself and your family.    

For free help to quit smoking, call Quitline on 13 78 48.   

Your baby should sleep in their own space or cot, in your room for at least the first 6 months. This will help you respond to their cries faster, help with breastfeeding if relevant, and give you oversight on how they are settling and overall peace of mind.   

Co-sleeping in the same bed as an adult is not recommended for SIDS risk. 

When your baby gets to 6 months, it is a family choice as to whether they move to a separate room or stay in your space. There is no right or wrong answer and it is dependent on their development and your family’s sleeping arrangements. 

Swaddles come in all shapes and sizes. They can include: 

• large, muslin wraps – a large piece of cotton fabric, often covered with patterns  
• swaddle pods – fitted sleep bags that cover the arms and are fastened with a zip 
• sleep sacks with arm covers – looser sleep bags that have fixed or removable arm covers, fastened with a zip 
• velcro swaddles – wraps that fasten using hook and loop closures.  

There is no one right type of swaddle to use.  

Parents, carers and babies themselves may prefer a different kind of swaddle due to factors like: 

• how easy it is to wrap or put on 
• whether the arms are held up or down 
• how expensive they are 
• how warm or cool they are 
• the type of fabric they are made of. 

It can be useful to try different types of swaddles to see what works best for your family. More expensive sleep sacks and swaddle pods can often be found on sale, donated or sold second-hand from other parents. 

Sleep sacks and swaddle pods can be simple to put on and may only need to be zipped up. 

Velcro swaddle wraps may have specific folding instructions, so check the packet or manufacturer's website for more information. 

Wrapping a fabric swaddle, like a muslin wrap, can take time and practice to get right. It can become even more complicated with a wriggling, crying baby and you may need some help the first few times. 

A simple step-by-step of swaddling: 

1. lay your swaddle or wrap on a flat surface with a point at the top, bottom, left and right 
2. fold the top point of the wrap down until it reaches the centre of the wrap 
3. if your wrap is especially large, you may need to fold it in half 
4. place your baby on the wrap, face-up with their neck right above the fold at the top 
5. gently hold your baby’s right arm alongside their body 
6. pull the right point across your baby’s body, in a downward diagonal line 
7. tuck the edge of the wrap under the left side of your baby’s body and bottom, leaving their left arm free  
8. bring the bottom point of the wrap upwards over your baby’s left shoulder 
9. tuck the point into the top of the swaddle 
10. gently hold your baby’s left arm alongside their body 
11. pull the left side of the wrap across your baby’s chest, covering their left arm 
12. make sure the fabric is snug, but not too tight 
13. tuck the left edge of the wrap into the swaddle. 

• try a range of different swaddles to see what works best for your baby 
• never buy sleep sacks or swaddle pods that are heavy or weighted – these are a SIDs risk 
• keep your baby’s hips loose while wrapping to make sure their joints are flexible and grow properly 
• make sure the swaddle is secure with all loose ends tucked in 
• pay attention to the room temperature and dress your baby accordingly – generally, one more layer than what you are wearing 
• always lay your baby on their back for sleeping and while swaddled. 

When a baby is swaddled, their arms cannot move.   

Once your baby starts rolling, they will need to transition out of a swaddle and have their hands free. This is so your baby can roll themselves back over if they end up face-down while sleeping. 

Transitioning out of a swaddle usually happens between 3-6 months of age. It may be earlier or later for some babies. 

Transitioning out of a swaddle can take some trial and error. Your baby may need some time to get used to having their hands loose and they may still have their startle reflex. 

It can be useful to go slowly and release one arm for 1-2 weeks before releasing the second arm. 

Gently loosen one side of the swaddle and help your baby to release their arm before going to sleep. Some sleep sacks will have arm covers or holes that are zipped or held together with snaps.   

Sleep may be difficult during this period but should settle as your baby gets used to having their hands free. 

Be patient and understand disruptions are a normal part of sleeping away from home. The more you plan and organise in advance, the more likely you are to minimise those disruptions.

This will include the necessities like nappies and blankets.

Know if the accommodation where you are staying has adequate facilities and equipment, including a crib for your baby. If this isn’t the case, see if you could bring your own or hire one for the time you are away.

If the room is unfamiliar, it becomes more important that the environment for sleep is as comfortable as possible, which includes things like blackout blinds or reducing the light from external bright lights.

In a new environment, make sure safety is still number one when putting your child to sleep. See SIDS and safe sleep for more information. 

Even though the environment may be foreign for your child, you can replicate the habits you do at home with a similar bedtime routine. See Bedtime routines for more information.

One of the most common pieces of advice new parents will receive is to “sleep when the baby sleeps”. While this can be frustrating to hear, it can be useful. Try to carve out some time to catch up on sleep while your baby is asleep or being settled by another caregiver. If you can’t settle to sleep, even lying down to listen to a podcast, some music or reading a book can help.   

If your baby is bottle-fed, it can be a good idea for parents and caregivers to split feeds overnight to make sure everyone is getting a slightly longer stretch of sleep. This can be more complicated for breastfed babies, and it’s recommended that parents who breastfeed speak to an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for support and strategies if they want to pump overnight.  

It can feel like mess builds up at a rapid speed when you first bring your baby home. 

Mess like food scraps, spills and nappies should be cleaned promptly to avoid illness, but the dishes and laundry can wait another day if it helps you get some rest. If you feel comfortable, enlist eager visitors and family members in some household chores to give yourselves a well-earned break.  

Good sleep hygiene can be difficult during times of chaos, but it can help you get better quality sleep and can also have benefits for your mental health. Sleep hygiene can involve things like   

trying to stick to a schedule of going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, for example, baby goes to bed at 6pm and you go to sleep at 7pm   

limiting large meals and caffeine right before bed   

limiting the use of electronic devices like your mobile phone 

See Sleep hygiene for more information. 

When family and friends offer help, take them up on it. This could be something like asking an aunty to do a grocery shop for you, getting a grandparent to bring over dinner or having a friend help fold the laundry and chat while you feed your baby. Accept help when it is offered, but only what you are comfortable with.  Remember- it takes a village to raise a child.