Every year, about 3,600 infants die due to unsafe sleep environments. These tragedies can result from accidental suffocation, entrapment, or strangulation. Others are linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which often occurs without warning or a clear cause. The good news is that there are simple, evidence-based steps parents can take to create a safer sleep space and help protect their little one.
Here are 12 ways to create a safe sleep environment for infants. Share this information with anyone who cares for your baby, including grandparents, family, friends, babysitters and child care center staff.
Note: These recommendations are for healthy babies up to 1 year of age. A very small number of babies with certain medical conditions may need to be placed to sleep on their stomach. Your baby's doctor can tell you what is best for your baby.
Place your baby to sleep on their back for every sleep.
Babies up to 1 year of age should always be placed on their
back to sleep during naps and at night. However, if your baby has rolled from their back to their side or stomach on their own, they can be left in that position if they arealready able to roll from tummy to back and back to tummy.
If your baby falls asleep in a
car seat, stroller, swing, infant carrier or infant
sling, they should be moved to a firm, non-inclined sleep surface as soon as possible.
Swaddling (wrapping a light blanket snuggly around an infant) may help calm a crying baby. However, if you swaddle your baby before placing them on their back to sleep, stop swaddling as soon as they start trying to roll. Do not use weighted swaddles.
Give your baby plenty of "tummy time" when they are awake. This will help strengthen neck muscles and help prevent flat spots on the head. Always stay with your baby during tummy time and make sure they are awake.
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Place your baby to sleep on a firm, non-inclined sleep surface.
Any sleep product, like a
crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard should meet current
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards. Check to make sure the product has not been recalled. Do not use a crib that is broken or missing parts or that has drop-side rails.
Cover the mattress with a tight-fitting sheet.
Do not put blankets or pillows between the mattress and fitted sheet.
Never put your baby to sleep on an armchair, a sofa, a water bed, a cushion or a sheepskin. (Also make sure
not to fall asleep on an armchair or a sofa while holding their baby.)
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Keep soft objects, loose bedding or any objects that could increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation or strangulation out of the crib.
- Pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, bumper pads and stuffed toys can cause your baby to suffocate.
Note: Research has not shown us when it's 100% safe to have these objects in the crib; however, most experts agree that these objects pose little risk to healthy babies after 12 months of age.
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Place your baby to sleep in the same room where you sleep but not the same bed.
Do this for at least 6 months, but preferably up to 1 year of age. Room-sharing without bed sharing helps protect against SIDS in the first year of life.
Keep the crib or bassinet within an arm's reach of your bed. You can easily watch or breastfeed your baby by having your baby nearby.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cannot make a recommendation for or against the use of bedside sleepers or in-bed sleepers until more studies are done.
Babies who sleep in the same bed as their parents are at risk of SIDS, suffocation or strangulation. Parents can roll onto babies during sleep, or babies can get tangled in the sheets or blankets.
Breastfeed as much and for as long as you can. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
The AAP recommends
breastfeeding as the sole source of nutrition for your baby for about the first 6 months. We support continued breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced as long as you and your baby desire, for 2 years or beyond.
Hold your newborn skin to skin while breastfeeding. If you can breastfeed, do this as soon as you can after birth. Skin-to-skin contact is also beneficial for bottle-fed newborns.
Schedule and go to all
well-child visits. Your baby will receive important immunizations.
Keep your baby away from smokers and places where people smoke. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
If you smoke, try to quit. However, until you can quit,
keep your car and home smoke-free. Don't smoke inside your home or car, and don't smoke anywhere near your baby, even if you are outside.
Do not let your baby get too hot. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
Keep the room where your baby sleeps at a comfortable temperature.
In general,
dress your baby in no more than one extra layer than you would wear. Your baby may be too hot if they are sweating or if their chest feels hot.
Dressing your baby with layers of clothing is safer than using blankets. Wearable blankets, like a sleeping sack, or warm sleeper clothing can also be used. If you use a wearable blanket, make sure it is the right size for your baby and it doesn't cover their head.
Do not use weighted blankets or weighted clothing.
Do not place hats on babies when indoors except in the first hours after birth or in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
If you are breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is going well and your baby is gaining weight before
offering a pacifier. If you are not breastfeeding, you can start a pacifier as soon as you like. Keep in mind that some babies don't like to use pacifiers.
If the pacifier falls out after your baby falls asleep, you don't have to put it back in.
Do not use pacifiers that attach to infant clothing, blankets or stuffed toys that can be a suffocation or choking risk.
Do not use home cardiorespiratory monitors to help reduce the risk of SIDS.
Use caution when buying products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Start protecting against SIDS during pregnancy.
Schedule and go to all prenatal doctor visits.
Do not
smoke, drink
alcohol or use recreational drugs while pregnant or after the birth of your newborn. Stay away from smokers and places where people smoke.
Hold your newborn skin to skin while breastfeeding. If you can breastfeed, do this as soon as you can after birth.
Skin-to-skin contact is also beneficial for bottle-fed newborns.
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