Safe sleep for babies

A few practices from the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) lower the risk of SIDS and of other sleep-related deaths, such as suffocation. No product can prevent SIDS. Everyone who looks after the baby needs to know these practices, including grandparents, babysitters and child care providers.

Position

• Put the baby on their back for every sleep, until age 1That includes babies born early and those with reflux. A baby used to sleeping on their back who is put on their stomach or side, even for a nap, faces up to 45 times the SIDS risk.
• Once the baby rolls both ways on their own, leave them in the position they chooseStart every sleep on the back. If they roll only one way, turn them back over if they end up on their stomach.
• Move a baby who falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, carrier or sling to their own sleep spaceDo it as soon as you can once you're out of the car. Sitting slumped with the chin on the chest can block the airway.

The sleep surface

• Use a firm, flat, level surface with only a fitted sheetFirm means it springs back quickly when pressed. The crib, bassinet or play yard and its mattress should meet Consumer Product Safety Commission standards.
• Skip inclined or tilted sleepersA baby can slide down and their head can slump forward, blocking breathing.
• Never let a baby sleep on a couch or armchairNot alone, not with you, with someone else or with pets. These are extremely dangerous when an adult falls asleep holding the baby.
• Don't use a soft surface for sleepWaterbeds, memory foam, air and pillow-top mattresses, quilts and sheepskins can trap a baby or keep them from breathing.

Where the baby sleeps

• Share a room for at least the first 6 monthsGive the baby a crib, bassinet or play yard in your room, separate from your bed. It's safer than sharing your bed, and safer than putting the baby in their own room.
• Clear your side of the bed before bringing the baby in for a feedingIf you fall asleep, put the baby back in their own space as soon as you wake.
• Know when sharing a bed is riskiestThe risk is very high on a soft surface, or when the adult is very tired, drowsy from medicine, has been drinking or smokes. It's high when the baby is under 4 months old.

What goes in the crib

• Remove everything except the fitted sheetNo pillows, stuffed toys, crib bumpers, quilts, blankets, positioners, loveys or weighted blankets.
• Use a wearable blanket instead of loose beddingOr add a layer of clothing.
• Keep the baby from getting too hotDress them for the room's temperature and take off their hat indoors. Sweating, flushed skin or a hot chest are signs they're too warm.
• Keep the home and car smoke- and vape-free