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Safe sleep for babies: the complete guide from newborn to 12 months

Lullaby Trust and NHS safer sleep advice made simple, plus realistic baby sleep expectations from newborn to 12 months.

October 11, 2026
Baby sleeping peacefully on their back
2026Motherhood guide
The Motherhood guide to

Safer baby sleep

Everything you need to set up a safe sleep space, understand how your baby sleeps from newborn to 12 months, and get through the nights with your sanity (mostly) intact.

If you only remember five things
  1. Put your baby down alone, on their back, in a clear cot or Moses basket, for every sleep, day and night.
  2. Keep them in the same room as you for at least the first six months.
  3. Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and keep the room at 16 to 20°C.
  4. Never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.
  5. Frequent night waking is normal in the first year. It isn't a sign you're doing anything wrong.
  1. The ABC of safer sleepAlone, back, cot, and the same room as you
  2. The sleep spaceMattresses, and what to keep out of the cot
  3. Temperature, sleeping bags and swaddlingTog ratings and keeping baby comfortable
  4. Co-sleeping and bed-sharingWhen it's dangerous and how to reduce risk
  5. Smoking, alcohol and dummiesThe other factors that make a difference
  6. How babies sleep, month by monthRealistic expectations from newborn to 12 months
  7. Sleep regressions and wobbly patchesWhy good sleepers suddenly wake again
  8. Routines and settlingGentle habits that help
  9. Looking after yourselfCoping with tiredness, and when to get help

If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.

Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.

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In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.

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Choosing supplements for your fertility journey

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When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.

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Photobook: Luthier. Beeches Lane by &Something

When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.