A good sleep environment won't magically make your baby sleep through — but it removes the things that make settling harder, and it keeps sleep safe. The good news: most of it is a one-time setup, and you can do it in the next ten minutes.
Dark, quiet and calm
Darkness tells your baby's body it's time to sleep, and it stops a busy room from pulling their attention.
- Make it dark. Block-out curtains or a portable blind help, especially for daytime naps and long summer evenings. Newborns can sleep in dim light too — you don't need pitch black.
- A small night light is fine for feeds and nappy changes. Choose a warm, dim glow rather than bright white or blue.
- Keep it low-stimulation. A plain, uncluttered space settles babies better than mobiles, lights and lots of toys near the cot.
Cool and comfortable temperature
Overheating is linked to a higher risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), so cooler is safer than too warm.
- Red Nose Australia advises a room that feels comfortable for a lightly clothed adult, and the AAP suggests keeping the room at a temperature that's comfortable for an adult — neither body publishes an exact figure. As a general comfort guide, many parents aim for around 18–22°C.
- Check your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or the back of the neck. Hands and feet often feel cool even when baby is just right, so don't dress to those.
- If the chest feels hot or sweaty, remove a layer.
Dressing for sleep
The aim is light, breathable layers you can add or remove as the room changes.
| Room feels | A simple guide |
|---|---|
| Warm | Nappy plus a singlet or a light, short-sleeve suit |
| Comfortable | A suit plus a light sleeping bag (low tog) |
| Cool | An extra layer under the sleeping bag, or a warmer tog |
- A safe infant sleeping bag (correct size, fitted neck, no hood) is a great alternative to loose blankets, which can ride up over the face.
- If you use a wrap or swaddle for a newborn, stop swaddling once baby shows signs of rolling, and never wrap so tightly that the hips can't move or the chest can't expand.
- Weighted swaddles, weighted sleepers and weighted blankets aren't recommended for babies — Red Nose and the AAP advise against any weighted sleep product.
- Skip hats indoors for sleep — they can slip down over baby's face and they trap heat, which raises the risk of overheating.
White noise: helpful, with limits
Steady white noise can mask household sounds and soothe some babies, mimicking the whoosh of the womb.
- Keep the volume low — about the level of a soft shower, and place the device well away from the cot (at least a couple of metres), not right beside baby's head.
- Continuous loud noise over long periods isn't ideal for developing ears, so consider turning it off once baby is settled, or using a timer.
- It's a tool, not a must-have. If it doesn't help your baby, you don't need it.
Day naps and travel
- Babies can nap in a slightly lighter, normal-noise room during the day, which helps them learn day from night — but a dark room is fine if it helps them settle.
- Away from home, recreate the basics: a firm, flat, safe sleep surface, your usual sleeping bag, and familiar white noise if you use it.
When to check with someone
Sleep is also about health and your wellbeing.
- If your baby seems unusually hot, floppy, or very hard to wake, seek urgent medical care.
- For ongoing worries about your baby's sleep, breathing or settling, talk to your GP or child health nurse. They can tailor advice to your baby — this guide is general wellness information, not a diagnosis.
Regional note: core safe-sleep advice (back to sleep, cot clear, don't overheat) is consistent across Red Nose (AU), the AAP (US) and the WHO. Specifics like recommended room-sharing duration can vary slightly between organisations, so follow your local child-health service.