Safe sleep (SIDS prevention)

The ABC rule

Baby sleeps Alone, on their Back, in a Crib. Every sleep, naps included.

• Alone: own crib or bassinet, in your room (room-sharing for at least the first 6 months lowers SIDS risk by up to 50%), but not in your bed.
• Back: always on the back, never tummy or side, until baby can roll both ways on their own. Back-sleeping is the single biggest SIDS reducer we know of.
• Crib: firm, flat, non-inclined mattress with one tight-fitting sheet. That is the whole shopping list.

What goes in the crib

Nothing but the baby. No blankets, pillows, bumpers, stuffed animals, positioners, or “nests”. If it is cold, use a well-fitting sleep sack instead of a blanket.

Things that actively protect

• Room temperature 16 to 20 °C. Overheating raises risk. One layer more than you would wear, and check the neck, not the hands.
• Breastfeeding (any amount) is associated with lower SIDS risk.
• A pacifier at sleep time is associated with lower risk. Offer it once breastfeeding is going well, and don’t force it or pop it back in once baby is asleep.
• A smoke-free home, car and pregnancy. Smoke exposure is one of the strongest risk factors.
• Supervised tummy time while awake every day. It builds the neck strength that makes sleep safer later, and it prevents flat spots.

Common questions, quickly

• Baby spits up, so is back-sleeping still safe? Yes. Babies’ airways are protected on their back, and healthy babies swallow or cough up spit-up reflexively.
• Swaddling? Fine if the wrap is snug at the chest but loose at the hips, and stopped as soon as baby shows any sign of rolling (often around 2 to 3 months).
• Car seats and bouncers: fine for travel, not for routine sleep. Move baby to a flat surface when you arrive.