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Create a Safe Sleep Environment for Baby

Graphic: Baby sleeping on back in crib.

Create a Safe Sleep Environment for Baby

Did you know that the features of your baby’s sleep area can affect his/her risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death, such as suffocation?

Reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death by creating a safe sleep environment for your baby.

How can you make a safe sleep environment?

  • Always place baby on his or her back to sleep for all sleep times, including naps.
    Graphic: Illustration of baby lying on back to sleep.
  • Room share—keep baby’s sleep area in the same room next to your sleep area. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else.
    Graphic: Illustration of baby's crib and adult bed next to each other, representing room sharing.
  • Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved* crib, bassinet, or portable play area, covered by a fitted sheet.
    Graphic: Illustration of baby sleeping in crib alone.
  • Keep soft objects, toys, pillows, crib bumpers, and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
    Graphic: Illustration of teddy bear sitting on top of dresser.
  • Don’t let baby get too hot during sleep. Dress your baby in no more than one layer more of clothing than an adult would wear to be comfortable. A one-piece sleeper or wearable blanket can be used.
    Graphic: Illustration of baby lying on back to sleep.

*Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for more information about safety-approved baby sleep areas: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/cribs/

Graphic: Logo of the Safe to Sleep campaign.
Learn more about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death at  http://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/

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Graphic: Logo of the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Links to https://www.nichd.nih.gov/Pages/index.aspx,/p>

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