What’s New in Safe Sleep? The Latest 2025 Research Every Parent Should Know
Safe sleep recommendations continue to evolve as new research emerges, helping us better understand how to reduce risks and support healthy sleep for babies. The latest 2025 evidence offers clearer guidance, updated trends, and improved understanding of what actually keeps infants safest during sleep. Here’s what’s new this year.
🍼 1. More Evidence Supporting a Clear Sleep Surface
Recent studies have reinforced that babies sleep safest on a firm, flat mattress with no loose bedding, pillows, bumpers, or soft items. New data now shows that even “breathable mesh” items are not risk-free and may still increase airway obstruction risk.
🛏️ 2. Bedside Sleepers Continue to Be Preferred Over Bed-Sharing
2025 updates continue to promote room-sharing (same room, separate sleep surface) for the first 6–12 months. New evidence suggests bedside bassinets may reduce caregiver fatigue and accidental bed-sharing during the night, helping parents maintain safer sleep practices.
🌡️ 3. Overheating Risks Are Lower Than Previously Thought — But Still Important
New thermal regulation studies show babies are more resilient to temperature fluctuation than past research suggested. However, the recommendation remains the same:
Dress baby in one extra layer than you
Keep the room between 16-20°C
Avoid hats, hoods, and thick blankets
The key update: short periods of warmth (like cuddling before sleep) do not increase risk.
📈 4. Pacifiers Confirmed Again to Reduce SIDS Risk
Fresh meta-analyses in 2025 reaffirm pacifier use at sleep onset can significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. Babies do not need to KEEP the pacifier in all night — benefits occur even if it falls out.
📉 5. New Data on Tummy Time & Rolling
A major 2024–25 review clarified: once babies roll independently during sleep, you no longer need to reposition them onto their back. What matters is placing them back to sleep until they can consistently roll both ways.