Safer sleep away from home in emergency situations

If you find yourself away from home unexpectedly in an emergency or crisis, this advice will help you create a safer sleep environment for your baby.

Baby is spending time on their tummy in the living room. They have brown skin and hair, and wearing a blue vest dress.

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When a baby is sleeping away from home unplanned

Fleeing from conflict or crisis means that sleeping conditions will be unpredictable. While it might not be possible to follow all the safer sleep guidelines, this advice will help you adapt your routine and use what’s available to create a safer space for your baby to sleep.

If you’re looking for information for planned trips such as family visits or holidays, see our guidance for planned travel.

The ABCs of safer sleep. These depict that for safer sleep, a baby should always sleep on their back, in a clear cot space. There are illustrations of babies sleeping safely, and a clear cot.

Safer sleep essentials

It can be difficult to keep to a safer sleep routine when your living arrangements keep changing, you can still take one of the most important steps – always sleep your baby on their back.

Research shows that placing your baby on their back at the beginning of every sleep or nap, day and night, significantly lowers the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 

Babies who normally sleep on their back but sometimes sleep on their front or side are at a greater risk of SIDS. Routine is key. If you have to sleep away from home unplanned, the ABCs of safer sleep will help you keep your baby safe:

Always sleep your baby..

..on their back…

..in a clear cot or sleep space.

If you have a cot or Moses basket

If you have access to a cot or Moses basket, this is ideal. If not, there are other options. Babies need just a few basic items for sleep: a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and well-fitted bedding. Keep the cot or Moses basket clear. This means:  

No pillows or duvets.
No cot bumpers.
No soft toys or comforters.
No weighted or bulky bedding.
No sleep positioners with wedges, straps or rolled up towels.
No pods or nests, or anything soft placed on top of the mattress.

A baby is sleeping on their back. They have light skin and dark hair and wear a light yellow sleep suit.

If you don’t have a cot or Moses basket

If you’re sleeping away from home unplanned with your baby and you don’t have a cot or Moses basket, try to find another type of firm, flat, safe surface. A travel cot is a good option, or a pram or carrycot, but there are other options if you don’t have access to these:

Travel cots
Prams
Co-sleeping
Baby boxes

Before we go into further detail about each, we don’t advise products like beanbags, swings and baby bouncers as sleep spaces. They are not firm and flat, and the baby can slump forward which can affect their breathing.

Travel cots

Travel cot mattresses are a lot thinner than standard cot mattresses, but they’re fine for a baby to sleep on.

Don’t be tempted to place folded blankets, towels or a quilt under the baby, even though it might seem comfortable. They make the mattress less firm, and loose bedding can cover the baby’s head which makes the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) much higher.

Place your baby on their back in the ‘feet to foot’ position, with baby’s feet right at the bottom end of the travel cot so they can’t wriggle down under the covers. Use a thin blanket no higher than their shoulders, and firmly tuck it under the mattress at both sides.

Prams as indoor sleep spaces

If you don’t have a cot, a travel cot or a Moses basket to hand, you could use your pram/carrycot or buggy. Use these guidelines to help make them safer for sleep:

A baby is sleeping in a safer sleep position. They are on their back with a clear cot around them. They have dark hair and medium skin, and their arms are held up at either side of their head. They are sleeping.

Make sure the base of the buggy or pram is flat, not sloping or tilted.
Keep the hood down when you’re indoors.
Don’t cover the pram or buggy. For example, don’t put a blanket over the top of it to keep out the light.
The padded sides of a pram/carrycot may trap more heat, so keep checking your baby’s temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. Remove a layer of bedding or clothing if they feel sweaty or clammy.
Remove the carrycot apron when you’re indoors.
Always check the manufacturer’s guidance.

Co-sleeping in an adult bed

If you need to bring your baby into bed with you, follow our guidelines on how to bedshare more safely. For example, keep adult bedding away from them so it can’t cover their face, sleep baby on their back and, don’t bring other children or any pets into bed with you. Also make sure your baby can’t get trapped between the wall and the mattress.

Illustration of a man, woman and baby sleeping. The man and woman are both facing in the direction of the baby, who is sleeping next to mum. The baby is sleeping on the mattress, with no bedding covering them and no pillow beneath their head.

When bedsharing is not safe

Don’t bedshare if:

Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks).
Your baby weighed under 2.5kg or 5.5 pounds at birth.
Anyone in the bed smokes or the baby was exposed to smoking in pregnancy.
Anyone in the bed has drunk any alcohol or taken drugs or medicines that make them sleepy.

Never sleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby

The risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. They could also slip into a position where they are trapped and can’t breathe. If you feel like you might drift off, it’s safest to place your baby down on a firm, flat surface.

A baby is laid on a changing mat. Their mum is kissing their cheek, and the baby is looking directly at the camera, smiling with their hand in their mouth. They have blue eyes, light skin and hair and a hearing aid in their right ear.

Baby boxes

Baby boxes are cardboard boxes specifically designed for babies to sleep in.

A baby box can sometimes be a safer option than bed sharing, especially if you’re fleeing domestic abuse or you’re in a crisis or emergency situation and any of the reasons not to bedshare apply.

There is a British Standards Institution standard for baby boxes to help make them safer. Whilst we recommend babies sleep in a cot or Moses basket when possible, a baby box can be a good stop gap. They are not as robust as cots so they’re not suitable long term, and babies quickly outgrow them.

If you use a baby box, use these safer sleep guidelines: 

Don’t lift or carry the box when your baby is in it.
Don’t put the lid on the box when your baby is in it.
Always keep the box clear when it is being used as a sleeping space – with no extra items like toys or pillows.
Don’t place extra bedding on top of or underneath the mattress to raise your baby up to a higher level.
Ensure the box is placed on a solid surface and can’t fall over. The best place is, on the floor if it is clean and dry. Don’t use the box if it gets wet or soiled.
Make sure that any pets stay away from the box.

Frequently asked questions

Can my baby sleep in a car seat if we’re sleeping away from home unplanned?

If you have a car seat, don’t let your baby stay in it for long, especially if they’re very young or were premature. Car seats are designed to keep babies safe while travelling and protect them in an accident, not as a main sleeping place.

It’s OK if your baby falls asleep in the car while you’re driving, but take them out as soon as you get to your destination and place them onto a firm, flat surface to sleep.

What about room temperature?

It is important to make sure that your baby is at a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The ideal room temperature for a baby is between 16 – 20°C.

If the room temperature is very warm, it’s fine for baby to sleep wearing just a nappy. If the room is very cold, avoid wrapping them up too much as overheating is puts them at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It’s better for babies to be a bit cooler than to be too hot.

Check your baby’s temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck, not their hands or feet. If they’re sweaty or clammy, they’re too hot.

Babies don’t need hats indoors. It’s important to keep your baby’s head uncovered while they are sleeping, so they can lose heat from their heads if they get hot.

It is important not to feel tempted to wrap an unwell baby up more than usual.

Where can I find more support?

Baby Bank Alliance

There are more than 300 baby banks across the UK. Search here to find your nearest baby bank.

Happy Baby Community
Community of support for women who have fled from violence or traffickers, and are pregnant or with a young child.

Trussell
A network of over 1,200 food bank centres to provide emergency food and compassionate, practical support to people in crisis.

Best Beginnings
Support for all parents, co-parents and care-givers to give their children the best beginning in life.

Shelter
Housing advice, information and advocacy for people in need.

UK UNHCR
Global organisation safeguarding the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee violence and persecution.

A baby is looking to their side with a huge, wide open grin. They have light to medium skin and the mum is looking down at them and smiling, with her face closely pressed to the baby.

Remember

If you find yourself away from home in an emergency situation, the ABCs of safer sleep will help you remember the essentials – always sleep your baby on their back, in a clear, safe space. If you don’t have a cot or Moses basket available, you can still make other options such as prams, co-sleeping and baby boxes as safe as possible to give you some peace of mind.

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