CDC Tips for Safe Baby Sleep
Four tips for parents and caregivers to help baby sleep safely:
- Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times – naps and at night.
- Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib.
- Keep soft bedding such as blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys out of baby’s sleep area.
- Have baby share your room, not your bed.
Fast Facts About SIDS
- SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between 1 month and 1 year of age.
- More than 2,000 babies died of SIDS in 2010, the last year for which such statistics are available.
- Most SIDS deaths occur when in babies between 1 month and 4 months of age, and the majority (90%) of SIDS deaths occur before a baby reaches 6 months of age. However SIDS deaths can occur anytime during a baby's first year.
- SIDS is a sudden and silent medical disorder that can happen to an infant who seems healthy.
- SIDS is sometimes called "crib death" or "cot death" because it is associated with the timeframe when the baby is sleeping. Cribs themselves don't cause SIDS, but the baby's sleep environment can influence sleep-related causes of death.
- Slightly more boys die of SIDS than do girls.
- In the past, the number of SIDS deaths seemed to increase during the colder months of the year. But today, the numbers are more evenly spread throughout the calendar year.
- SIDS rates for the United States have dropped steadily since 1994 in all racial and ethnic groups. Thousands of infant lives have been saved, but some ethnic groups are still at higher risk for SIDS.
DID YOU KNOW...
Crib Bumper Pads, Stuffed Animals, & Blankets are so cute these days! But did you know you should have nothing in the crib except baby & baby only while sleeping on back?
Safe Infant Sleep
Protect your baby while they are sleeping
There's nothing sweeter or more peaceful than a sleeping baby. But how do you know if they're sleeping safely?
3,500 infants die each year in the U.S. due to sleep related deaths. Unintentional suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death among children less than 1 year old. Many of these deaths are due to unsafe sleeping situations that lead to unintentional suffocation.
Infants sleep more than 50 percent of the time. In the first couple weeks, newborns sleep almost 70 percent of the time. As parents and caregivers, we know you want to do everything it takes to protect your baby.
We’re here to help with some tips on how to keep your baby safe while sleeping, as well as some things you need to make sure you are not doing.
3,500 infants die each year in the U.S. due to sleep related deaths. Unintentional suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death among children less than 1 year old. Many of these deaths are due to unsafe sleeping situations that lead to unintentional suffocation.
Infants sleep more than 50 percent of the time. In the first couple weeks, newborns sleep almost 70 percent of the time. As parents and caregivers, we know you want to do everything it takes to protect your baby.
We’re here to help with some tips on how to keep your baby safe while sleeping, as well as some things you need to make sure you are not doing.
SAFE TO SLEEP, a Public Education Campaign Led by the NIH
Please visit the US Department of Health and Human Services web page below regarding SIDS and safe infant sleep.
- Babies age 0-12 months should sleep in a safety-approved crib, portable crib, play yards, or bassinet at night and during naps.
- Babies should sleep on firm surfaces with tightly fitted sheets.
- Babies should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed (room-sharing without bed-sharing).
- Breastfeeding is recommended.
- After nursing, the mother should return the baby to their own bed before falling asleep.
- Always place your baby on his or her back for every sleep time.
- Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
- Usually, babies with reflux should sleep flat on their back.*
- To keep your baby warm while sleeping, use a sleep sack or long-sleeved onesie.
- If you are using an infant carrier, make sure the infant's head is up and above the fabric, the face is visible, and that the nose and mouth are clear of obstructions.
- Infants should receive all recommended vaccinations.
- Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended daily to facilitate development and minimize the occurrence of positional plagiocephaly (flat heads).
*If you would like more detail or to see the scientific studies that led to these recommendations, read the full American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement.
- Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. This includes pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, and bumper pads.
- Car seats, infant swings, and other sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.
- Avoid overheating the baby with blankets or swaddling,
- Side and stomach sleeping are not safe for infants who can't roll over.
- Wedges and positioners should not be used.
- Don't smoke during pregnancy or after birth.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Don't use home monitors or commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS.
*If you would like more detail or to see the scientific studies that led to these recommendations, read the full American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement.
Do you know of a new or expectant mom you want to share this information with? Please feel free to use our messaging below or create your own. To use our messaging, all you have to do is copy the messages we've provided below and insert the appropriate photo into whichever social media site you use. We do ask that you keep #safesleep in the message.
Social media messages to help us share
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This is unsafe. Babies should always sleep on their backs.
Always place your baby on their back every time they sleep in their crib, until they are old enough to roll over on their own. When sleeping on their tummies, they are at risk for suffocation. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. There should be no items in the bed with your baby.
Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. This includes pillows, blankets, stuffed toys and bumper pads. All these items all can cause baby to suffocate, if they are not unable to move yet on their own. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. Worried about your baby being cold? Use a sleep sack instead of a blanket.
To keep your baby warm at night, use a sleep sack or long-sleeved onesie rather than blankets or swaddling. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. Car seats are not safe places for babies to nap.
Always keep your baby properly buckled up in their car seat. Otherwise, they could move into a position while sleeping where they could suffocate. #safesleep http://bit.ly/carseatnap |
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This is unsafe. Feeling sleepy? Put your baby to bed first.
Being a new mom is exhausting. If you feel yourself dozing off while holding your baby, make sure to put him or her in their crib first. Otherwise, your baby could accidentally suffocate as you both move around while you sleep. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. Room share, don’t bed share.
Sharing a room with your baby in the first months helps to keep them safe and makes it easier for breast feeding. However, make sure that they are sleeping alone in their crib. Bed sharing can lead to accidental suffocation. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. Use a sleep sack instead of swaddling.
Swaddling can cause respiratory infections, hip dysplasia, overheating and accidental suffocation. #safesleep |
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This is unsafe. 3,500 infants die annually in the U.S. from sleep-related deaths
Keep your baby safe by following safe infant sleep recommendations. #safesleep |
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Downloadable posters
Here are some posters about safe infant sleep that you can download and print.
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Do you work with new and expectant mothers or in a daycare setting with infants? Do you have a safe sleep policy in place? Our Safe Baby Sleep Council is here to help.
Safe Baby Sleep Council
The organizations that make up the Safe Baby Sleep Council have been working together to lower Tarrant County's infant morbidity rates and raise the awareness of safe infant sleep practices. Of course, their guidelines can be applied in any community. Here you can learn about our Safe Baby Sleep Council members as well as the recommendations they've developed and the useful information and materials they've gathered for your use as you implement your Safe Baby Sleep policy. You'll also find resources to help your organization adopt safe sleep practices.
Safe Baby Sleep Council Information
Safe Baby Sleep Council Information
- Alliance For Children
- Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth
- Cook Children's
- The City of Fort Worth
- John Peter Smith Health Network
- Lake Granbury Medical Center
- Tarrant County Public Health
- Tarrant Baptist Association
- Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth
Downloadable Resources
Downloadable Resources
Room to breathe! – 2011 bed-sharing precaution report from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Education for volunteers, families, and medical professionals
- National Institute of Health teaching points
- Safe infant sleep practices (Jason Terk, M.D.)
- Parent acknowledgment
- Fitted crib sheets and sleep sacks
- Support materials:
Room to breathe! – 2011 bed-sharing precaution report from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services