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  • Safe Infant Sleep Basics
    • Ways to Reduce Baby’s Risk
    • What Does A Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?
    • About SIDS and Safe Sleep
    • What is SIDS?
    • Fast Facts About SIDS
    • SIDS Is Not...
    • What Causes SIDS?
    • Common SIDS and SUID Terms And Definitions
    • What Do We Know About Risk?
    • Known Risk Factors
    • Why Babies Need Tummy Time
    • FAQs
    • Myths And Facts
    • Key Moments In Campaign History
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    • SIDS Awareness Month Toolkit
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  • Home
  • Safe Infant Sleep Basics
    • Ways to Reduce Baby’s Risk
    • What Does A Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?
    • About SIDS and Safe Sleep
    • What is SIDS?
    • Fast Facts About SIDS
    • SIDS Is Not...
    • What Causes SIDS?
    • Common SIDS and SUID Terms And Definitions
    • What Do We Know About Risk?
    • Known Risk Factors
    • Why Babies Need Tummy Time
    • FAQs
    • Myths And Facts
    • Key Moments In Campaign History
      • 1969-1993
      • 1994-2003
      • 2004-2013
  • Printable & Shareable Resources
    • SIDS Awareness Month Toolkit
      • How to Do a #SafeSleepSnap Activity
      • The #ClearTheCrib Challenge
      • Shareable Content
      • How to Address Unsafe Sleep Images
      • Resources from Our Partners
    • Caregivers & Families
      • Interactive Safe Sleep Environment Tool
      • Breastfeeding & SIDS Videos/Handout
      • Amamantar y sueño seguro (videos/folleto)
      • Safe Sleep for Your Baby Videos
      • Grandparent Videos
      • Abuelos
    • Healthcare & Service Providers
      • Healthy Native Babies Project Toolkits and Guides
      • Downloadable Media
        • Baby’s Anatomy When on the Stomach and on the Back
        • Dads—Help Baby Sleep Safe Infographic
        • Infografia: Padres ayuden a sus bebes a dormir seguros
        • Infografia: Sueño seguro para su bebé
        • Infographic: Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation
        • Parents Placing Baby into a Safe Sleep Environment
        • Room Sharing Photo 1
        • Room Sharing Photo 2
        • SIDS by Baby's Age Infographic
        • Safe Infant Sleep Environment Photo 1
        • Safe Infant Sleep Environment Photo 2
        • Safe Sleep for Your Baby Infographic (Horizontal)
        • Safe Sleep for Your Baby Infographic (Vertical)
        • Tummy Time
    • Other Materials
    • Safe to Sleep® Shareable Content
  • Research
    • The Science Of SIDS And Safe Infant Sleep
    • Research On Possible Causes Of SIDS
    • Research On Back Sleeping And SIDS
    • Research On Other SIDS Risk Factors
  • Activities and Initiatives
    • Explore the Campaign
    • Progress In Reducing SIDS
    • Outreach Activities
      • Safe Infant Sleep Social Media Block Party
      • Outreach Activities In Specific Communities
      • Building Relationships With Trusted Community Members
      • Healthy Native Babies Project (HNBP)
    • Collaborators And Partners
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    • Contact Info
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  • Safe Infant Sleep Basics
    • Ways to Reduce Baby’s Risk
    • What Does A Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?
    • About SIDS and Safe Sleep
    • What is SIDS?
    • Fast Facts About SIDS
    • SIDS Is Not...
    • What Causes SIDS?
    • Common SIDS and SUID Terms And Definitions
    • What Do We Know About Risk?
    • Known Risk Factors
    • Why Babies Need Tummy Time
    • FAQs
    • Myths And Facts
    • Key Moments In Campaign History
      • 1969-1993
      • 1994-2003
      • 2004-2013

What Does A Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?

You can reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death in the following ways.

Mom leaning over, looking at baby sleeping in crib, illustrating ways to reduce baby risk's of SIDS: Room share: give babies their own sleep space in your room, separate from your bed; Use a firm, flat, level sleep surface, covered by a fitted sheet; Remove everything from baby’s sleep area, except a fitted sheet to cover the mattress; No objects, toys, or other items; Use a wearable blanket to keep baby warm without blankets in the sleep area; Make sure baby’s head and face stay uncovered during sleep; Place babies on their backs to sleep, for naps and at night; Couches and armchairs are not safe for baby to sleep on alone, with people or pets; Keep baby’s surroundings smoke/vape free. Inset image shows baby sleeping in bassinet; bassinet is next to adult bed; mom is in adult bed looking at baby in bassinet.

Printable versions of this safe sleep environment information are available below:

  • What does a safe sleep environment look like? Reduce the risk of SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Causes of Infant Death (PDF 1.7 MB)
  • ¿Cuál es la apariencia de un ambiente seguro para dormir? Reduzca el riesgo del síndrome de muerte súbita del bebé y de otras causas de muerte relacionadas con el sueño (PDF 1.7 MB)

*Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for more information about crib safety: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Kids-and-Babies/Cribs/.

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