Patient education: Safe sleep for babies (The Basics)

Why is safe sleep important for babies? — Babies spend a lot of time sleeping. Parents and caregivers must make sure that the baby sleeps in a safe position and place. It's important to think about:

●Where the baby sleeps

●How the baby sleeps

●The type of bed and bedding used

Safe sleep habits are important to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome ("SIDS"). SIDS is when a baby younger than 1 year old dies suddenly for no known reason.

How can I help keep my baby safe while they sleep? — Here are some tips:

●Put your baby in a safe position to sleep.

•Always put them on their back to sleep (figure 1). Do not put them to sleep on their belly or side.

●Put your baby in a safe place to sleep.

•Always put them to sleep in a crib, cradle, or bassinet.

•Do not have them sleep in your bed (with or without you). If you want them to sleep near you, put the crib, cradle, or bassinet near your bed (figure 2). The safest place for your baby is in their own bed, in the same room, where a parent or caregiver can see them.

•Do not have them sleep on a sofa, cushion, waterbed, or other soft surface. They should not sleep on an air mattress, even if it is blown up all of the way.

•If they fall asleep in their car seat, stroller, swing, or other baby-carrying device, put them in their crib, cradle, or bassinet as soon as possible.

●Make sure that your baby's crib, cradle, or bassinet is safe.

•The mattress should be firm, flat, and not angled.

•Keep the mattress in the crib in a low position. Make sure that your baby cannot crawl out of the crib and fall.

•Make sure that the baby cannot reach any cords or wires from their bed.

•Cribs should not have sides that drop or lower.

●Don't put blankets or other objects in the crib, cradle, or bassinet.

•Keep all blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and other soft objects out of the crib, cradle, or bassinet. Do not use bumper pads.

•Dress your baby in layers to keep them warm without overheating. You can also dress them in a "wearable blanket" or sleep sack.

•Do not cover your baby's head when they are sleeping.

•Try to keep the room where the baby sleeps from getting too warm.

●Other ways that you can protect your baby.

•Stop smoking if you smoke, and do not let anyone smoke in your house or car.

•Do not use alcohol or recreational drugs.

•Breastfeed your baby if possible.

•Offer your baby a pacifier at nap time and bedtime. It is best to wait to introduce a pacifier until after your baby has gotten used to breastfeeding.

•Make sure that your baby gets all of their vaccines. This is important for their health. Vaccines do not cause SIDS, and they might even lower the risk.

What else should I know? — Doctors do not recommend using devices or machines that check a baby's breathing or heart rate during sleep. Studies have shown that these do not prevent SIDS.

More on this topic

Patient education: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (The Basics)
Patient education: Caring for your newborn (The Basics)
Patient education: Secondhand smoke and children (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for babies and children age 0 to 6 years (The Basics)

Patient education: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for infants and children age 0 to 6 years (Beyond the Basics)