Safe Sleep for Babies

Good sleep habits are important for your baby's physical health and emotional well-being. An important part of safe sleep is where your baby sleeps, his sleeping position, the kind of crib or bed, the mattress type, and the home environment, including smoke exposure. Creating a safe sleep environment lowers the risk of injury and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) — when an otherwise healthy baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly during sleep, with no known cause even after a full investigation.

SIDS is more common in babies whose parents smoke, especially during pregnancy, and in babies who sleep on their stomach. For the first 6 months, the safest place for your baby to sleep is on his back, in a crib in your room — having your baby close makes night-time breastfeeding easier and may help protect against SIDS.

How to create a safe sleep environment

• From birth and through the first year, place your baby on her back for naps and at night — don't use sleep positioners or rolled blankets to hold this position, as they can cause suffocation. Once she can turn over on her own, you don't need to return her to her back.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface — waterbeds, air mattresses, pillows, sofas and other soft surfaces are not safe, since babies can turn onto their side or stomach and bury their face in soft material.
• Car seats and infant carriers should not replace the crib for sleep.
• Keep soft materials out of the crib — quilts, comforters, bumper pads, stuffed animals and pillows should not be in there.
• Make sure your baby isn't too warm — use light sleeping clothing, like a one-piece sleeper, instead of a blanket if the room is cool.
• If you swaddle, follow a safe swaddling technique that keeps the airway clear and leaves room for legs to move, and stop swaddling once your baby shows signs of rolling over.
• Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke — maternal smoking during pregnancy and smoke exposure after birth both raise SIDS risk; choose a non-smoking caregiver.
• Make sure your baby's crib meets current safety standards. If your room is too small for a crib, use a cradle or bassinet that meets current safety regulations.
• A playpen is not a safe alternative to a crib for unsupervised sleep — babies have died from playpens collapsing or from becoming trapped between a playpen and an accessory.

Is bed-sharing safe?

Adult beds are not designed with infant safety in mind, which is why they're not the safest place for babies to sleep. Sharing an adult bed increases the risk of SIDS or suffocation — a baby can become trapped between the mattress and the wall or bed frame, fall off the bed, or be accidentally rolled onto and suffocated by an adult or older child. Soft bedding like comforters or duvets can cover a baby's head and cause overheating, which raises SIDS risk. Co-sleeper products that attach to an adult bed are not recommended. Never lie down or sleep with your baby on a couch, sofa or armchair, and never let your baby sleep there alone or with another person — a baby can become trapped in the cushions or down the sides and suffocate. The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib close to your bed.

Breastfeeding and safe sleep

Breast milk is the ideal food for babies, and having your baby near you makes night-time feeds easier — but it's also easy for both of you to fall asleep while feeding lying down, so a few points are worth keeping in mind before bringing your baby into bed to breastfeed. Smoking during pregnancy or after birth increases SIDS risk when bed-sharing, even if you never actually smoke in bed. And if you fall asleep with your baby, you may not wake easily enough to respond to him — more likely if you've had alcohol, taken any drugs (legal or illegal) that could make you very sleepy, or are extremely tired.