Newborn Sleep Safety

Newborns require great care when they are awake and when they sleep. According to the Virginia Department of Health, suffocation is the leading cause of death among infants, especially in their first four months. Most of these deaths occur when babies are sleeping. Providing a safe sleep environment for your newborn will help everyone rest a little easier.

  1. Where Baby Should Sleep

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your newborn sleep in your room, near your bed, but not with you. This makes feeding baby in the middle of the night easier and facilitates bonding between parent and infant. Your baby should sleep in his own crib or bassinet certified for safety by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. It should have a firm mattress and a tight-fitting sheet.

    Putting Baby to Sleep

    • The AAP recommends that an infant should always be placed on his back to sleep during naps and at night. Newborns lack the strength in their necks to turn their heads to breathe if they are placed on their tummies to sleep. Laying baby on his side is not recommended, since he can accidentally roll over onto his stomach.

    Sleep Clothing

    • Babies should not be covered with blankets. Instead, dress your baby in a one-piece sleeper. Set the temperature at a comfortable setting for an adult. If your baby is sweating or breathing rapidly, or if she has damp hair or flushed cheeks, she is probably too hot and needs to be made comfortable.

    Warnings

    • Never cover a newborn with a blanket since it can suffocate him.

      The AAP warns that newborns should never sleep on soft surfaces such as waterbeds, sofas, chairs or cushions. An infant should not sleep in an adult bed because he can suffocate if an adult rolls over onto him, if he becomes trapped between the bed and the wall or if he falls off the bed and onto a pile of clothes or plastic bags.

      Keep the crib free of toys, soft bedding, blankets, stuffed animals and comforters, since these can cover a baby̵7;s face and suffocate him. The crib must always be in a smoke-free environment.

    Keeping Baby Safe

    • The AAP strongly urges you to talk to caregivers, babysitters and anyone who watches your infant so that they know how to safely put your baby to sleep. According to the AAP, about one in five infant deaths occurs when a caregiver is taking care of an infant and the baby is put to sleep on his tummy when he is accustomed to sleeping on his back at home.

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