Parenting: Creating a Safe Sleep Environment for Baby

Pregnancy is such an exciting time filled with hope and expectation. It’s also the best time to learn what your baby needs to have a great start in life. Parenting recommendations have changed over the years due to new research and evidence. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date with the latest practices.

Many new parents and grandparents don’t realize the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep exclusively on their back. The recommendation came after years of research and evidence into sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths.

According to the AAP, about 3,500 infants in the United States die suddenly and unexpectedly while they’re sleeping. Most of these tragic deaths are due to SIDS or accidental deaths from suffocation or strangulation.

To keep your baby safe throughout the first year of life, your baby should:

1. Always be placed on his/her back for sleep time. Babies should never sleep on their stomach or side.
2. Sleep alone in an empty crib with no loose objects. NO loose bedding, bumpers, stuffed animals or toys, which may increase the risk for suffocation and entrapment.
3. Sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface. A firm surface means that it shouldn't indent when your baby is lying on it. Any surface that inclines more than 10 degrees isn't safe for your baby to sleep on. Never put a baby to sleep on an old mattress, waterbed, sofa or cushioned chair. Only use products that meet Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards, and have not been recalled for safety hazards.
4. Sleep in the same room, not in the same bed, as the caregiver. The AAP recommends room sharing with your baby (not bed sharing), for at least the first six months. This can decrease the risk for SIDS by as much as 50%, and it’s much safer than bed sharing.
5. Wear light clothing when sleeping, such as a sleep sack. Also keep room temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees.
6. Not be exposed to tobacco or other smoke. Smoke in your baby’s environment is a significant risk factor for SIDS. Don't smoke anywhere near your baby, even if you're outside. This includes vaping and electronic cigarettes.

To learn more about safe sleep, go to healthychildren.org/safesleep for a complete list of recommendations.

Are you saving a cherished heirloom for your new baby? Most cribs manufactured before 2011 do not meet current safety standards as outlined by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Changes beginning in 2011 do not allow cribs to have sides that drop down (kits to immobilize the sides also are not permitted). Changes also include a variety of improvements like harder woods and anti-loosening hardware. In addition, do not use a crib that has missing parts or has been recalled and not repaired.

To check if your crib complies, call the CPSC at 1-800-638-2772 or visit its website at CPSC.gov.

Families who are unable to purchase a crib may be eligible to earn a cribette by attending prenatal classes with the help of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and the national Cribs for Kids® program. You can learn more about the program by talking to your doctor, nurse liaison, social services coordinator or outreach worker.

The cribette can be used until your baby reaches 30 pounds or 35 inches in length. It is compact, sturdy and easy to assemble. It also includes an insert that converts into a bassinet for your new baby, allowing them to stay close to your bed but on a separate sleep surface designed for infants as well as has wheels and a convenient travel case.