A Quick Guide
to Creating a
Safe Sleeping
Environment.
Keeping babies safe, healthy,
and happy begins with you.
Help your baby sleep
safely so you can
rest easy.
Getting Ready for Baby
• PREPARE YOURSELF. Get the right
prenatal care. Eat well. Quit smoking.
• PREPARE YOUR HOME. Prepare for a Safe
Sleep environment. Make it smoke free.
Only buy or use a crib/Pack ‘n Play/
bassinet approved by the Consumer
Product Safety Commission. (CPSC).
• PREPARE YOUR FAMILY. Ask for help
and support. Teach them about baby’s
safe sleep!
Why Safe Sleep?
• It is easy to help your baby sleep safe.
And, it may save your baby’s life.
• A baby dies each month in Delaware
due to unsafe sleep.
• According to Delaware data, African
American babies are two to three times
more likely to die from unsafe sleeping
practices.
Before Baby Comes Home:
Safe Cribs
• Use a crib/Pack ‘n Play/bassinet that is
approved by the Consumer Product
Safety Commission. (CPSC)
• Follow the assembly instructions
carefully. Make sure every part is
installed properly. If you have any
questions, call the manufacturer.
• Use a firm baby mattress that has been
specifically designed for your crib with a
fitted crib sheet.
FITTED CRIB SHEET
FIRM BABY MATTRESS
NO MORE THAN 2 FINGERS
• Make sure there is not more than two
fingers space (2 3/8 inches) between
the mattress and the side of the crib at
any point.
• A soda can should not be able to fit through
the slats.
CAPPPRSOVCED
Know the Rules
of Safe Sleep:
SLEEP
ALONE
ON
BACK
EMPTY
CRIB
SMOKE
FREE
Step 1: Make sure your baby
sleeps alone.
• Experts agree that babies are safest
when they sleep alone in their own crib.
• Other unsafe sleep surfaces include
sofas, armchairs, recliners, air
mattresses, and memory foam.
• Babies should always sleep alone in a
safe crib and NEVER in a bed with
anyone, not even for naps.
• Share a room, not a bed. Babies need
separate space for sleep.
• Your baby can become trapped or
wedged between the wall and the bed
or you could roll over on your baby
causing suffocation, strangulation,
overheating, or death.
• Babies can be near you to support
breastfeeding.
Step 2: Babies should ALWAYS
sleep on their backs.
• Experts agree that babies should always
sleep on their backs - for every sleep.
•
• Research has shown that back sleeping
greatly decreases the risk of sleep related causes of infant death.
• Give your baby some supervised
tummy time every day and start when
your baby comes home from the hospital.
• Babies who sleep on their back get
more oxygen and are far less likely
to suffocate.
Make sure everyone who takes care of
your baby knows to place them on their
back when they take a nap or go to
sleep - for every sleep.
THIS
SIDE UP
Step 3: Make sure the crib is
empty. Decorate the room,
not the crib.
• Babies should always sleep on a firm
baby mattress with nothing else in
the crib.
• Rolled up blankets and sleep positioners
present suffocation risk and are not needed
to keep your baby on his/her back.
• Don’t put pillows, quilts, comforters,
stuffed animals, bumpers, or other
items in the crib.
• It is recommended that you use a
sleeper or a one-piece sleep sack
instead of covering your baby with
blankets.
• Only use a fitted crib baby sheet that
has been specifically made for your crib.
Step 4: Smoke Free Environment
• If you smoke, stop.
•
•
Exposure to smoke is a health risk for
your baby both during pregnancy and
after birth. Do not let any smoke near
you or your baby.
•
Babies who are exposed to secondhand
smoke are more likely to have asthma,
ear infections, and upper respiratory
infections.
• Avoid these and other potential
health related issues by making sure
Babies who are exposed to second hand your baby always sleeps in a smoke-free
smoke are two to three times as likely to environment.
die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS) and other sleep related deaths.
Long Live Dreams!
You have big dreams for your new baby.
Make sure they all come true by following
these small steps to safe sleep:
SLEEP
ALONE
ON
BACK
EMPTY
CRIB
SMOKE
• Keep the room temperature
comfortable for you, which should
be comfortable for your baby, too.
Overheating is a risk factor for SIDS.
FREE
And, these other guidelines, too:
• Consider offering a pacifier after
breastfeeding is established.
• Place crib away from windows, curtains,
blind cords, lamps, and electrical plugs.
Keep small objects out of reach.
For a complete list of the American Academy of
Pediatrics Safe Sleep guidelines, visit SafeSleepDE.com
or call 2-1-1 for Help Me Grow.
LONG LIVE
DREAMS!
Q: Won’t my baby choke sleeping on the back?
On the stomach, the trachea or airway is below the esophagus. Anything a baby might spit up will be pushed
back down by gravity to the lowest point, which would be the babies airway. The spit-up is now a potential
choking hazard.
A: When the baby is placed on the back, the esophagus (which is the feeding tube) is below the trachea (which is the airway). If the baby spits up, the contents will come out
of the baby’s mouth. The remaining content will go back down the esophagus by the force of gravity. The contents are swallowed and will not get stuck in the lungs.
On the other hand, when the baby is placed on the stomach, the trachea is below the esophagus. If the baby spits up, the content can go into the trachea and get stuck in the lungs.
Remember: Coughing does not indicate choking. People cough to clear and protect their airway. It is a reflex, and healthy babies use it just like adults do!
* Image courtesy of the Safe to Sleep® campaign, for educational purposes only; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids; Safe to Sleep® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Q: But my mother, grandmother, or best friend put their baby to
sleep on their stomach, and the baby is fine…
A: Every day , new knowledge is gained. We often learn that truths from the past were not correct. For example, in the past, an infant did not have to ride in a car seat. Today,
we know car seats protect children from serious injury.
The same is true for infant sleep… Extensive research has proven that a baby is safest when placed on the back to sleep. ALWAYS use the back to sleep until 1 year of age.
Q: I know I shouldn’t sleep with my baby, but he/she is fussy.
What can I do?
A: Use the 5 S’s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Swaddling: It provides warmth and security – the same way your baby felt in the womb. This is done only when you are holding the baby. Do not put the baby down to
sleep swaddled.
Side/Stomach Position: Hold your baby on the left side to help with digestion. Once asleep, place your baby on the back in the crib.
Shushing: This imitates the noise in the womb, making your baby feel calm and safe. It may work best when done loudly.
Swinging: You can gently rock your baby in your arms or use an infant swing.
Sucking: It is natural, and babies enjoy sucking even when they are not hungry. A baby cannot cry and suck at the same ime!
A soothing bath or infant massage may also help quiet your baby. Or try taking your baby to a quiet area. A change in environment often helps to relax a fussy baby.
Q: Why is it dangerous for my baby to sleep in an adult bed?
Your baby may become WEDGED by the wall or mattress, and your baby may SUFFOCATE!
A: Your baby can become trapped or wedged between the wall and the bed or you can roll over on your baby causing suffocation, strangulation, overheating, or death.
Pillows, loose sheets, blankets, comforters and other soft material are dangerous.
FACT: Half of the infants in the United States who die of sleep-related deaths were found sleeping in bed with their parents!