KOAIV / BABY SLEEP

Baby sleep
A gentler rhythm
for little sleepers

Small bedtime routines, safer sleep basics, and practical support for the nights that feel long.

Build a simple bedtime routine →

For parents and caregivers of babies from birth to 12 months. Follow your baby’s needs and any individual care plan.

An awake parent watches over a baby lying on their back in a clear wooden crib with a fitted sheet
01 / START WHERE YOU ARE

What feels hard right now?

Choose one starting point. There is no need to change everything tonight.

Newborn nights

Start with responsive care and a safe place to sleep.

Start with the basics →

Naps feel tricky

Notice your baby’s cues and explore a flexible starting point.

Explore nap timing →

Bedtime feels busy

Choose a small sequence you can repeat in your own way.

Try a bedtime rhythm →

Sleep has changed

Find a practical guide and a plan for sharing the nights.

Find your next step →
02 / THE FOUNDATION

A safer sleep space
for every sleep

Begin here, whether it is a short nap or the middle of the night.

These essentials follow the American Academy of Pediatrics. Read the full guidance for additional recommendations and individual situations.

  • Start on their back
    Place your baby on their back for naps and nighttime sleep.
  • Keep the surface firm and flat
    Use a safety-approved crib or bassinet with a well-fitting mattress and fitted sheet.
  • Leave the sleep space clear
    Keep pillows, loose blankets, toys, bumpers and positioners out.
  • Stay close, with separate sleep spaces
    Share your room for at least the first six months. Return your baby to their own sleep space before you sleep.

For tired grown-ups
Avoid falling asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. If you feel drowsy, place your baby in their own safe sleep space and ask for help when possible.

03 / TONIGHT’S SMALL STEP

Keep the routine simple
Keep the comfort close

A short, familiar sequence can help mark the transition to nighttime. Keep it flexible around feeding and your baby’s needs.

Try the same few steps in a similar order. A bath is optional; a particular settling method is not required.

  • 1
    Soften the surroundings
    Lower the lights and make play quieter as you begin winding down.
  • 2
    Meet the everyday needs
    Offer a feed as needed, a fresh nappy if needed, and comfortable sleep clothes.
  • 3
    Choose one familiar moment
    Try a quiet song, a few words or a cuddle while you are awake.
  • 4
    Return to the safe sleep space
    Place your baby on their back in their own clear, firm, flat sleep space. Respond if they need you.

Sleep patterns vary. For newborns, caring and feeding take priority over following a clock. NHS: helping your baby to sleep

04 / WHEN THE NIGHTS CHANGE

Notice what changed
Choose one next step

A difficult night is not a score for your parenting. Start with what your baby needs and what support you have.

FOR YOUR BABY

Look at the whole picture

Check feeding, comfort and signs of illness. Think about recent changes in your day. Keep familiar parts of the routine where they help.

“Sleep regression” is a description, not a diagnosis or a timetable every baby follows.

FOR THE GROWN-UPS

Share the night plan

Agree who can help with settling, changing or taking over while you rest. Share the feeding plan and safe sleep setup with every caregiver.

If sleep worries persist, or something feels different from your baby’s usual pattern, speak with your health visitor or pediatrician.

05 / A NOTE TO SHARE

One small plan
Shared by the grown-ups

Copy these prompts into your phone or a piece of paper. A few practical words can make the next handoff easier.

Use the note to support responsive care, rather than to stretch feeds or keep a tired baby awake.

FREE TO COPY / NO DOWNLOAD NEEDED
OUR LITTLE NIGHT NOTE

For whoever takes
the next turn

  • Our familiar bedtime steps
    Choose two or three things we can repeat.
  • Feeding and individual care
    Write our baby’s current plan and any clinician advice.
  • The safe sleep setup
    Agree the sleep space and share the safety essentials.
  • Who can take the next turn
    Name the person, the task and how we will ask for help.
  • One thing we noticed
    Record a cue or change we want to discuss tomorrow.
06 / A LITTLE HELP WITH TIMING

Tools for a starting point

Use estimates alongside your baby’s cues and your family’s care plan. An estimated time is not a target to meet.

DAYTIME / NAPS

Wake Window Calculator

Explore an age-based estimate for the next nap, then adjust around feeding, tiredness and what you notice.

Keep caring responsively if your baby’s needs and the estimate differ.

NIGHTTIME / PLANNING

Deep Sleep Calculator

Explore an approximate nighttime window for planning. A calculator cannot measure your baby’s actual sleep stage.

Do not use an estimate to delay a feed or decide when it is safe to leave a baby unattended.

Timing is one part of the picture · These tools do not diagnose sleep problems or replace feeding advice. For premature babies or individual health needs, ask your care team how to adapt.

07 / KEEP EXPLORING

Read what helps with your next step

Go deeper into the question closest to your family’s night.

Baby wake window signs

Notice cues that can help you decide when to offer sleep.

Read the guide

When sleep patterns change

A closer look at common changes and possible next steps.

Read the guide

Common infant sleep challenges

Explore familiar sleep concerns and questions to discuss.

Read the guide
08 / QUESTIONS ON A TIRED NIGHT

A few things you may be wondering

No fixed schedule fits every baby. Especially in the newborn weeks, follow feeding needs and offer care responsively. A familiar sequence can give your day some shape without requiring exact times. See the NHS sleep overview.

Dozing during feeding can happen. Follow your baby’s feeding needs and any individual care advice. When the feed is finished, return your baby to their own safe sleep space before you go to sleep.

No. Treat the time as an estimate. If your baby seems tired or needs feeding or comfort, respond to those needs. Do not stretch awake time just to match a result.

This page does not require a particular sleep training method. You can begin with safe sleep, responsive care, a familiar bedtime sequence and support for caregivers. Talk with your care team if you want help choosing an approach for your baby.

Contact your health visitor or pediatrician for ongoing concerns, feeding difficulties, poor growth, unusual breathing or signs of illness. If your baby is struggling to breathe, turning blue or is unresponsive, seek emergency medical help immediately.

This page focuses on birth to 12 months. For older children, explore the multi-age bedtime routine guide. Infant safe sleep guidance should not be treated as a complete toddler sleep guide.
A LITTLE SUPPORT GOES A LONG WAY

One familiar step is enough for tonight

Choose the part that would help most: a safer setup, a quieter bedtime or someone to share the next turn.

Guidance checked on 28 October 2026: AAP safe sleep recommendations · NHS baby sleep guidance

General parenting information. Follow individual medical advice for your baby.