Making sure newborns and children under 5 years sleep safely
Updated: 30 September 2022

Manuela Leporesi
©
Credits
Tips and information
- Have good quality sleep in a quiet environment: 14 – 17 hours (infants up to 3 months), 12 – 16 hours (infants 4 – 11 months), 11 – 14 hours (12 – 2 years of age), 10 – 13 hours (children beyond 2 years)
- Place a baby on their back to sleep and make sure they can breathe easily
- Know that a baby should sleep on this back during the first year
- Place a baby under a bednet to sleep in places where malaria is present
- Understand that this will protect against mosquito bites, which pass on the disease
Related tips and information
Related rights
Videos & infographics
All →Publications
All →Consolidated guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage
Bleeding after birth: course on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage
Report of the 11th Meeting of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, 10–12 June 2025
WHO recommendation on antibiotic prophylaxis during labour for vaginal birth
Reports
All →The WHO PROPS Trial (PRObiotics in Preterm and Small for gestational age infants)
World Health Day 2025 Toolkit
BRANCH (Breastfeeding counselling and management of growth faltering) trial
WHA Agenda Item 11.7 - Accelerate progress towards reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality in order to achieve SDG targets 3.1 and 3.2
Related health topics