Medical disclaimer

Everything Tumble Lane publishes — The Whole Sleep Story, our free sleep guides and anything we email you — is general information for parents. It is not medical advice, and it isn't a substitute for advice from a doctor, nurse, midwife, public health nurse, health visitor or other qualified professional who knows you and your baby.

We base our writing on published guidance from bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the NHS, the HSE and the Lullaby Trust, and on peer-reviewed research, and we link to our sources. Guidance changes, and every baby is different, so please check current advice from your own health service.

Please get help straight away if

• your baby has difficulty breathing, turns blue or grey, is floppy, unresponsive or very hard to wake — call 112 or 999;
• your baby has a high temperature, is feeding much less than usual, has fewer wet nappies, or you feel something is wrong — contact your GP, out-of-hours service or call 111 (UK);
• you feel low, anxious, hopeless or have thoughts of harming yourself — talk to your GP, public health nurse or health visitor, or call Samaritans (116 123 in Ireland and the UK). If you are in immediate danger, call 112 or 999.

Safe sleep, always

Whatever approach you take to sleep, the core safe-sleep advice doesn't change: lay your baby on their back for every sleep, on a firm, flat, separate sleep surface, in a clear cot with no pillows, bumpers, loose bedding or toys, in a smoke-free home, and in the same room as you for at least the first six months. Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.

If you have questions about anything you read here, we'd love to hear from you — but we can't give individual medical advice.