Safe Sleeping & SIDS

January 2004

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The following are guidelines to lower your baby’s risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome): back sleeping and safe bedding.

Make sure that everyone who cares for your baby puts the baby on his or her back to sleep
Use a firm, tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards
Remove pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys, and other soft products from the crib
Dress your baby in sleep clothing so that you will not have to use any other covering over the baby
Place your baby so that his or her feet are at the bottom of the crib
Tuck a thin blanket around the bottom of the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby’s chest
Make sure the baby’s head remains uncovered during sleep
Keep your baby warm, but not too warm
Make sure that everyone who cares for your baby understands the dangers of soft bedding
Avoid adult beds, waterbeds, sofas, or other soft surfaces for sleep

Source: National SIDS Resource Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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