Baby care 101

• Always put baby to sleep on her back to avoid SIDS.
• Respond quickly to your crying baby, but don’t shake her.
• Give your baby some tummy time when she’s awake.

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Newborns sleep about 16 hours a day. So it’s important to make sure that where and how they sleep are safe. Safe sleep can help protect babies from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related dangers, like suffocation (not being able to breathe).

How can you lower your baby’s chances of SIDS or other sleep-related dangers?
Here are some things you can do to help keep your baby safe when she sleeps:

Where to put your baby to sleep

• Put your baby to sleep on his back on a flat, firm surface, like a crib mattress covered with a fitted sheet. Use only the mattress made for your baby’s crib. The mattress should fit snugly in the crib so there are no spaces between the mattress and the crib frame. The mattress shape should stay firm even when covered with a fitted sheet or mattress cover.
• Use a bassinet, crib or play yard that meets current safety standards. Don’t use cribs with drop-side rails. Don’t try to fix a crib that has broken or missing parts. Visit U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to learn more about product safety standards or product recalls.
• Keep crib bumpers, loose bedding, toys and other soft objects out of your baby’s crib. They put babies in danger of getting trapped, strangled or suffocating. If your baby sleeps in your bed, never place pillows, comforters, quilts or other soft items beneath your baby, nor on top of him.
• Share your bedroom with your baby but not your bed. Co-sleeping means that babies and parents sleep together in the same bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CPSC warn that babies should not co-sleep with their parents. Instead, put your baby to bed in his own crib or bassinet. Keep it close to your bed so your baby’s nearby during the night.
• If you put your baby to sleep in your bed, never leave him alone. Don’t put him to sleep on a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress or other soft surface. Portable bed rails don’t always prevent a baby from rolling out of bed. Babies can get stuck in these devices and choke. Cover the mattress with a tight-fitting sheet. The mattress should fit snugly in the bed frame so that there are no spaces around your headboard or footboard. Check that there are no spaces between the bed and the wall or other furniture.
• Don’t let your baby sleep in his carrier or sling, car seat or stroller. Babies who sleep in these items can suffocate. If your baby falls asleep in one of them, take her out and to her crib as soon as you can.
• Remove any hanging window cords or electrical wires near where your baby sleeps. Babies can get tangled in them and choke.

How to put your baby to sleep

• Put your baby to sleep on her back every time, until she’s 1 year old. It’s not safe for babies to sleep on their side or tummy. If your baby can roll over from her back to her side or tummy, and over to her back again, don’t worry if she changes positions while sleeping.
• Dress your baby in light sleep clothes. Remove any strings or ties from his pajamas and keep his head uncovered. A blanket sleeper can keep your baby warm without covering his head or face. Keep the room at a temperature that’s comfortable for you. If your baby is sweating or his chest feels hot, he may be overheated.
• Give your baby a pacifier for naps and at bedtime. Pacifiers may help protect against SIDS. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until your baby is 1 month old or until she’s used to breastfeeding before giving her a pacifier. If your baby won’t take a pacifier, don’t force it. It’s OK if the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth during sleep. Don’t hang the pacifier around your baby’s neck or attach the pacifier to your baby’s clothing or a stuffed animal.
• Don’t use products, such as special mattresses or wedges, that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS. There is no evidence that they do.
• Don’t use home cardiorespiratory monitors as a way to reduce the risk of SIDS. Very rarely some babies need a monitor because of medical problems. There’s no evidence that the monitors help reduce the risk of SIDS in healthy babies.

Mom and baby care

• Feed your baby only breast milk for at least 6 months. Continue breastfeeding your baby until at least her first birthday.
• Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs during pregnancy and until you stop breastfeeding. Don’t let anyone smoke in your home or around your baby.
• Take your baby to all his well baby visits and make sure he gets his vaccinations on time.
• Give your baby tummy time every day. Tummy time helps your baby develop his neck, shoulder and arm muscles.
• During pregnancy, go to all of your prenatal care checkups, even if you feel fine.

Last reviewed March 2012

See also: Co-sleeping, Putting your baby to sleep, Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)