What are the ABCs of safe sleep?
Short answer: The Lullaby Trust's ABCs mean: Always sleep your baby on their Back, in a clear Cot or sleeping space.
Here is the detail behind that answer, taken from current UK guidance from the NHS and the Lullaby Trust.
Things to check
- Check the internal size and buy a mattress that fits with no gaps.
- Adjustable base heights let you lower the mattress as your baby learns to sit and stand.
- Teething rails protect the top rails from little teeth.
What the guidance says
- The Lullaby Trust's ABCs: Always sleep your baby on their Back in a clear Cot or sleeping space.
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep, in the feet-to-foot position (feet at the bottom of the cot, Moses basket or pram).
- Keep the cot clear: no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, loose blankets, soft toys, pods, nests, wedges or anything to keep your baby in place.
Related questions
What is a cot?
A framed baby bed with fixed sides, usually taking a 120 x 60cm mattress.
Shop at Baby Kingdom
- Hartley Classic Cot
- Bantam Cot - White
- Obaby Stamford Space Saver Cot in Warm Grey
- Bantam Space Saver Cot - White
Check each product page for its exact dimensions, mattress size, age and weight limits and safety standards.
More advice
Can a 3 month old sleep on their side?Do I need a crib?Twins safe sleep quizHow much space do I need for a cot bed?Your 6 week's sleep space: a safe-sleep guideYour 7 month's sleep space: a safe-sleep guideAll safe sleep and sleep spaces advice →
Sources
- The Lullaby Trust: Safer sleep advice (accessed 2026-10-21)
- NHS: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (accessed 2026-10-21)
General information only, not medical advice. Always follow your product's instructions. If you are worried about your baby, contact your GP, health visitor or 111. In an emergency, call 999.