Infants are generally good at getting the sleep they need. In short, your job is to not get in the way. Because most newborns can and will sleep just about anywhere (and sleep disorders are rare), focus not so much on sleep optimization as on sleep safety.

Here are some of the more common safe sleeping zones to consider setting up for your baby, as well as some scenarios to avoid at all costs.

A bassinet (like a portable crib) is a bed designed specifically for babies from birth to six months. The height is often adjustable to help you put your baby within arm's reach of your bed at night. Because they’re portable, bassinets can be a good option for daytime napping in other areas—and crucially, they provide a contained, flat surface.

“We overestimate the softness an infant needs for sleep,” says Dr. Laurie Jones, a pediatrician and founder of Dr. MILK (Mothers Interested in Lactation Knowledge). “Simple and firm is always better.”

A baby box is a simple bassinet made of strong cardboard. Originating in Finland, it’s fitted with a mattress and heralded for being safe, affordable, and portable.

“We have to ‘de-program’ ourselves from our modern consumption culture that says, ‘The more stuff you buy and put near baby, the more you love your baby, and the safer your baby will sleep,’” Dr. Jones says. “The opposite is true; the more stark and simple the sleep environment, the safer for the young infant.”

A crib is a dedicated infant bed with high slatted sides. While many cribs are rectangular and fitted with a standard mattress size, some are oval or circular, and some transition into a toddler bed.

“Whether your baby takes the breast or bottle, they should be on a firm, flat sleep surface, ideally in the same room with parents for the first months,” Dr. Jones says. “Try to make it to six months to move your baby to a crib, and ideally past four months.”

Babywearing is as old as parenthood itself, and it brings many benefits, including bonding. Because babies like closeness with their parents, babywearing can be a helpful way to get them to sleep—all while you or your partner go about other household chores, help siblings, or head out on a walk.

“You cannot spoil babies by holding or wearing them,” says Chris Raines, a perinatal psychiatric nurse practitioner. “Some babies need that attachment.” With a baby carrier, she adds, “you can continue to do the things you need to do.”

A pram is a type of stroller designed specifically for newborns. Shaped like a bassinet, it allows young babies to sleep on their backs on a firm, flat surface, and look back up at the person pushing the stroller.

Many modern strollers now come with a pram setting, allowing a newborn to start sleeping flat and transition to a more upright position. The motion of a stroller can help lull your baby to sleep while you get a little exercise and fresh air.

Let’s be real: Whether or not it’s your goal, your baby will sometimes fall asleep being held. If you have the time and aren’t sleepy yourself, that’s fine! Your baby gets biological benefits from close contact, including bonding and brain development.

If it’s not practical to hold your baby during a nap, but you want to sustain that closeness, you (or a caregiver) can try babywearing. “The mother thinks she has to do all the holding that a village used to do,” Dr. Jones says. “But it's not all on you.”

The motion and white noise of a drive or stroll can lull babies to sleep. While it might be tempting to keep your sleeping baby in a car seat after removing the seat from its base or stroller adapter, a baby’s airways can become compromised when the seat leaves its correct angle.

“Car seats are not a safe place for an infant to sleep when not restrained and aligned properly,” Dr. Jones says. Letting your baby nap for up to an hour in a car or stroller is OK, but when a car seat is placed on another surface, it’s no longer safe for sleeping.

Just as there are safe places for babies to sleep, there are some to avoid:

• Near anyone smoking
• On anyone sleeping or impaired (taking pain or sleep meds or using drugs)
• In a swing—these were designed for alert infants (babies should be moved for naps)
• Any place a baby can fall, like a couch, adult bed, or nursing pillow
• On any surface that cannot support a baby’s back
• Within reach of loose material, like blankets and bumpers
• On the floor, if within reach of pets, siblings, or small objects
• Anywhere a caretaker cannot hear or otherwise observe them