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Safe Sleep Basics: What CPSC and Safe to Sleep Recommend

Back to sleep, a firm flat surface, nothing but a fitted sheet and a sleep product that meets federal rules: the official safe sleep basics, with sources.

By Baby Product Recalls editorial teamUpdated 3 min readHow we research

A bright nursery with a white chest of drawers and a crib holding only a fitted sheet

Place your baby on their back for every sleep, in a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper that meets federal safety rules, on a firm, flat surface with nothing but a fitted sheet. Share a room, not a bed, for at least the first six months. These are the core recommendations of CPSC and NIH’s Safe to Sleep campaign.

Safe to Sleep says its recommendations are based on those of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on SIDS. Everything below is quoted or summarized from CPSC and NIH; for your own baby’s health questions, ask your pediatrician.

The basics at a glance

Do Do not
Place the baby on their back for naps and at night until age 1 Place a baby on their side or stomach to sleep
Use a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper that meets federal requirements Use an inclined product (over 10 degrees) such as a rocker, glider, soother or swing for sleep
Use a firm, flat, level surface with only a fitted sheet Add pillows, blankets, bumpers, stuffed toys or positioners
Share a room, with the baby in their own sleep space, for at least 6 months Let a baby sleep on a couch or armchair
Move a baby who falls asleep elsewhere to their sleep space Use a car seat or stroller as the regular sleep space

Why the back, and why flat?

NIH’s Safe to Sleep campaign says babies who sleep on their backs “are at lower risk for SIDS than babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides.” It adds that if a baby usually sleeps on their back, being placed on the stomach or side, as for a nap, “increases the risk for SIDS by up to 45 times.”

On surfaces, NIH describes the right one as firm, flat “(like a table, not a hammock),” level “(not at an angle or incline),” and “covered only with a fitted sheet.” CPSC gives the reason: many young babies “cannot lift their heads to pull away from soft objects,” and “a seated or semi-reclined position can cause your baby’s head to tip forward and their airway to be blocked.”

Bare is Best: what stays out of the sleep space

A bright nursery with a white chest of drawers and a crib holding only a fitted sheet

CPSC’s phrase is “Bare is Best,” nothing but a fitted sheet in a crib, bassinet or play yard. NIH lists what to remove: soft items such as pillows, stuffed toys and crib bumpers; anything under or over the baby, such as comforters, quilts, blankets and positioners; non-fitted items, even small ones; and weighted blankets and swaddles.

To keep a baby warm, NIH suggests a wearable blanket or an extra layer of clothing instead of loose bedding.

The sleep product itself

A safe setup starts with a product built for sleep. CPSC says to use “cribs, bassinets, play yards and bedside sleepers that meet federal requirements,” and to check for recalls and sign up for recall notices. That is where this site’s other guides come in:

NIH adds a caution about products sold with safety claims: many wedges, positioners and similar products “do not meet federal guidelines for sleep safety,” and “no product can prevent SIDS.”

Room sharing, not bed sharing

Safe to Sleep on room sharing

NIH recommends sharing a room with the baby for at least the first 6 months, with the baby in their own crib, bassinet or portable play yard, separate from your bed. It says couches and armchairs “are never safe places for babies to sleep.”

NIH also covers swaddling: it does not reduce SIDS risk, and it should stop when a baby starts rolling over, usually around 3 months. Its full list of recommendations, including feeding, pacifiers and a smoke-free home, is on the Safe to Sleep site. Back to the sleep products overview.

Frequently asked questions

Can my baby sleep on their side?

No. NIH's Safe to Sleep campaign says it is not safe to place babies on their sides or stomachs to sleep, not even for a nap. Once a baby can roll both ways on their own, you can leave them in the position they choose after starting sleep on their back.

Can I put a blanket in the crib?

No. CPSC's rule is 'Bare is Best', nothing but a fitted sheet, and NIH advises keeping comforters, quilts, pillows and blankets out of the sleep area. NIH suggests a wearable blanket or an extra layer of clothing to keep a baby warm instead.

Is it okay if my baby falls asleep in the car seat?

NIH says not to use sitting devices such as car seats and strollers for a baby's regular sleep or naps. If the baby falls asleep in one, move them to their regular sleep space as soon as possible once you are out of the vehicle.

Do weighted sleep sacks or swaddles help?

CPSC says not to use weighted blankets or weighted swaddles, and NIH lists weighted blankets, weighted swaddles and weighted objects among items to keep out of the sleep area. NIH also says to stop swaddling when a baby starts rolling over, usually around 3 months.

Sources

  1. Safe Sleep: Cribs and Infant ProductsU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  2. Ways To Reduce Baby's RiskSafe to Sleep campaign, NICHD, National Institutes of Health
  3. Safe Sleep for Babies Act Business GuidanceU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Filed under SleepStart with Baby Sleep Product Recalls: Cribs, Bassinets and Sleepers

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