Helping Babies Sleep Safely

Expecting or caring for a baby? Take these steps to help your baby sleep safely and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

There are about 3,400 sleep-related deaths among U.S. babies each year. CDC supports the recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS. See How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained to learn more about these and other actions.

Sleep safety recommendations

• Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times. Even if a baby spits up during sleep, babies’ anatomy and gag reflex help prevent them from choking while sleeping on their backs. Babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their sides or stomachs.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib covered only by a fitted sheet. Some parents and caretakers might feel they should place their baby on a soft surface to help the be more comfortable while sleeping. However, soft surfaces can increase the risk of sleep-related death. A firm sleep surface helps reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.
• Keep your baby’s sleep area in your room until they're at least 6 months old, ideally a year. Accidental suffocation can occur on unsafe surfaces like adult beds. Room sharing is safer than bed sharing and can reduce SIDS risk by 50%. Placing the crib near your bed aids in feeding, comforting and monitoring.
• Keep soft items like blankets, pillows, and toys out of the sleep area. Do not cover your baby's head or let them get too hot. Some parents may want to add blankets for warmth, but these can raise suffocation and overheating risks. Dress your baby in sleep clothing, like a wearable blanket, if you're worried about them being cold. A pediatrics report found infant suffocation deaths during sleep often result from soft bedding.

Interactive safe sleep environment tool

Learn how to create a safe sleep space for your baby with the interactive safe sleep environment tool from Safe to Sleep®. This can help lower the risk of SIDS and other infant sleep-related deaths, like suffocation.