How does a safe sleep environment lower the risk of SIDS and SUID?
The thought of losing a baby is every parent’s nightmare. Yet each year, 3,500 families in the U.S. face this devastating reality when their little ones die unexpectedly in their sleep. While scientists are still unsure of the exact cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a safe sleep environment lowers the risk significantly.
Life with a new baby can be exhausting, but prioritizing safe sleep practices is crucial for a baby’s well-being. Creating a safe sleep environment consists of a few, easy to follow and remember steps:
- Place a baby on their back to sleep for all sleeps, naps and at night
- Use a firm, flat mattress
- Room-share with your baby for at least the first 6 months (not sleep surface sharing)
- Remove everything from the baby’s sleep area except the fitted sheet on the mattress
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Even if a baby spits up during sleep, babies’ anatomy and gag reflexes 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.
Some parents and caretakers might feel they should place their baby on a soft surface to help them be more comfortable while sleeping. A firm, safe sleep surface helps reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.
Accidental suffocation or strangulation can happen when a baby is sleeping in an adult bed or other unsafe sleep surfaces. Sharing a room with your baby is much safer than bed sharing and may decrease the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%.
Sheets, comforters and blankets can increase the risk of suffocation or overheat your baby. If you’re worried about your baby getting cold during sleep, you can dress them in sleep clothing, like a wearable blanket.
Safe Sleep and Other Caregivers
- Share safe sleep information and resources with grandparents or other caregivers who will be responsible for a napping baby.
- Ask your child care provider if they follow safe sleep guidelines. If you can, take a look at where your child will be sleeping at naptime.
Other Tips
Babies who drink breastmilk have a lower risk of SIDS. Any amount of breastmilk, even if combined with the use of formula, helps protect babies more than using formula alone.
Make sure baby has plenty of “tummy time” while awake and supervised
- Consider offering baby a pacifier for naps and at night once they’re feeding well.
- Keep baby’s surroundings smoke, vape, and drug-free.
- Avoid products and devices that go against safe sleep guidance, especially those that claim to prevent SIDS and other sleep-related deaths. No product can prevent SIDS.
- Heart, breathing, motion, and other monitors are not effective at detecting or preventing SIDS. If you use these products, make sure to follow safe sleep recommendations.
- Visit the Safe to Sleep website to see an interactive tour of what a safe sleep environment looks like.
Spread the word about safe sleep! Visit our Preventing SIDS and SUID page to learn how you can get involved!
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