Your baby has no idea what Halloween is. They don't know about pumpkins, they can't eat the sweets and they will almost certainly be asleep before the first knock at the door. Which, when you think about it, makes this the easiest Halloween you will ever do.

A first Halloween doesn't need a theme, a party or a costume that took three evenings and a glue gun. It needs a comfy outfit, a few nice photos and a plan for the doorbell. Here's the gentle version, with the safety bits from NHS and Lullaby Trust guidance, so you can stop worrying and enjoy the pumpkin.

Pick a costume that's basically pyjamas

Soft, simple and easy to get off. The best baby costumes are the ones that feel like normal clothes: a onesie with ears, an orange babygrow, a knitted pumpkin hat for the photos. Comfy baby, smug parent, and a nappy change that doesn't need an engineering degree.

Check for bits that come off. The NHS advice on baby and toddler safety is to keep small objects, such as buttons, coins and small toy parts, out of your baby's reach. On a costume, that means pompoms, sequins, plastic eyes and anything else a determined baby could pull off and put in their mouth. If it wiggles when you tug it, snip it off or pick a different outfit.

Watch the layers. Costumes are often fleecy and go over the top of clothes, so it's easy for a baby to get too warm. The Lullaby Trust's cold weather guidance says to check your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. If they're sweaty or clammy, they're too hot, so take a layer off. Hands and feet will always feel cold, so don't go by those.

Hats off indoors. The Lullaby Trust also says to remove hats and hoods when your baby is indoors or in the car, so they don't get too hot. Good news for the pumpkin hat: it only has to survive the photos. There's more on getting the layers right in our guide to dressing a newborn for autumn.

Take the costume off before any sleep

Babies don't care that it's a special occasion. They will nap in the middle of the photoshoot, the sibling's party and the walk round the block. When they do, the costume comes off.

The Lullaby Trust says that when your baby is sleeping indoors, you should remove any outdoor clothes and hats, and keep the sleep space clear of items such as toys. So the pumpkin hat goes on the side, the themed soft toy stays out of the cot, and your baby goes down in a normal sleepsuit or sleeping bag, on their back, in a clear cot. The recommended room temperature for a baby's sleep space is 16 to 20°C. Our safe sleep guide covers the rest.

Your baby doesn't need a perfect Halloween. They need a comfy outfit, a warm lap and someone guarding the doorbell at nap time.

Pumpkins: carve it, light it, keep it out of reach

Carve during a nap. Sharp knives, slippery hands and a baby trying to grab the lot is nobody's idea of a relaxing evening. Do the carving while they sleep, then let them "help" afterwards by staring at it with deep suspicion. A whole, uncarved pumpkin makes a surprisingly good sensory toy for a sitting baby: cold, bumpy and too big to put in their mouth. Stay close, obviously.

Battery tealights are your friend. A flameless LED light gives the same glow without a real flame at crawling height. If you do use matches, the NHS says to keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. It also says to fit smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them at least every month, so consider Halloween your annual reminder to press the button.