Providing Care for Babies to Sleep Safely

What to know

  • Parents and caregivers can help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, such as sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation.
  • Learn what parents and caregivers can do to help babies sleep safely.
Baby placed in crib on back

Parents and caregivers

Creating a safe sleep area for babies

CDC supports the 2022 recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Take the following actions to help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths.

  • Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—naps and at night.
  • Use a firm, flat (not at an angle or inclined) sleep surface. For example, a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet.
  • Keep your baby's sleep area (for example, a crib or bassinet) in the same room where you sleep, ideally until your baby is at least 6 months old.
  • Keep soft bedding out of your baby's sleep area. This includes blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys.
  • Do not cover your baby's head or allow your baby to get too hot. Signs your baby may be getting too hot include sweating or his or her chest feels hot.

View a safe sleep area at What does a safe sleep environment look like? from Safe to Sleep®.

Additional recommendations to reduce the risk of SIDS

In addition to the recommendations listed above, other recommendations from the AAP include:

  • Do not smoke or use nicotine during pregnancy, and do not smoke or allow smoking around your baby. For help quitting, see How to Quit Smoking.
  • Do not drink alcohol or use illegal drugs during pregnancy.
  • Feed your baby breastmilk. Find out more about breastfeeding your baby to reduce the risk of SIDS.
  • Make sure your baby sees their health care provider for well-child visits. Your baby will receive recommended vaccines to help protect against serious diseases.
  • Offer your baby a pacifier at nap time and bedtime. If you are breastfeeding your baby, you may want to wait to use a pacifier until breastfeeding is well-established.

Learn about these and other recommendations at How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained from AAP's Healthy Children.

CDC safe sleep video

In 2019, CDC experts hosted a Facebook live event to communicate information about safe sleep for babies.

Audio Description Transcript Low Resolution Video

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Health and Human Development Spanish-language safe sleep video

Audio Description Transcript Low Resolution Video

In this Spanish-language video, learn from experts about how to create a safe sleep area for baby. Additionally, find out answers to frequently asked questions.

Resources

Safe sleep resources

The Safe to Sleep® campaign has activities and educational materials to learn about how to help babies sleep safely.

Cribs for Kids® provides education and portable cribs to families who cannot afford a safe place for their babies to sleep.

Find sleep safety and suffocation prevention tips from Safe Kids Worldwide.

Grief resources

The following organizations offer support for families who have experienced the tragic loss of a baby:

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP); Division of Reproductive Health