Safe Sleep Recommendations for Infants
At Sturdy Health, we are here to support you in giving your baby the safest start possible. Creating a safe sleep environment is one of the most important things you can do to protect your infant from sleep-related risks such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), suffocation, and entrapment. Below are key recommendations based on guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Our maternity team at Sturdy Health is here to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way. Safe sleep is just one part of your baby’s healthy beginning, and we are honored to be part of that journey with you.
Safe Sleep Recommendations for Infants
Sleep Position & Environment
- Back to sleep for every sleep. Always place your baby on their back to sleep.
- Use a firm, flat, non-inclined sleep surface to reduce the risk of suffocation or wedging/entrapment.
- Keep soft objects (pillows, pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters, mattress toppers, fur-like materials) and loose bedding (blankets, nonfitted sheets) out of the sleep area to reduce risks of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.
- Avoid overheating and head covering in infants.
Sleep Location
- It is recommended that infants sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for at least the first 6 months.
Feeding & Soothing
- Feeding of human milk is recommended, as it is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.
- Offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime is also recommended to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Health & Safety
- Avoid smoke and nicotine exposure during pregnancy and after birth.
- Avoid alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and illicit drug use during pregnancy and after birth.
- Regular prenatal care is recommended for all pregnant individuals.
- Infants should be immunized according to guidelines from the AAP and CDC.
Equipment Use
- Do not use home cardiorespiratory monitors as a strategy to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Tummy Time
- Supervised, awake tummy time is encouraged to support development and reduce the risk of positional plagiocephaly.
- Begin shortly after hospital discharge.
- Increase incrementally to 15 to 30 minutes total per day by age 7 weeks.
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