What is safe sleep?
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants between 1 month and 1 year of age. This is what you can do to help your baby sleep safely and to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS.
To create a safe sleep environment:
- Always place a baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night, to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Use a firm sleep surface, covered by a fitted sheet.
- Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else.
- Keep your baby’s sleep area in the same room where you sleep. Room sharing not bed sharing. Always place the baby in a safety-approved crib, bassinet, portable crib for sleep.
- Sitting devices like bouncy seats, swings, infant carriers or strollers should not be used for routine sleep.
- Keep soft objects such as pillows and blankets, toys and bumpers out of your baby’s sleep area.
- Wedges and positioners should not be used.
- Do not smoke during pregnancy or allow smoking around your baby.
- Do not let your baby get too hot during sleep.
- Breastfeed your baby.
- Give your baby a dry pacifier that is not attached to a string for naps and at night to reduce the risk of SIDS (pacifiers are ok after 2 weeks of life, once breastfeeding is established).
- Follow health care provider guidance on your baby’s vaccines and regular heath checkups.
For additional information and education on safe sleep please visit:
http://www.cribsforkids.org/