Babies spend a lot of time sleeping and need a safe sleep environment. Research tells us that creating a safe sleep environment will help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and prevent other sleep-related injuries and death in babies.
Use a crib, cradle, or bassinet that is free of clutter
A clutter-free crib, cradle, or bassinet helps lower the risk of SIDS and prevents your baby from being trapped, suffocated, or strangled.
A safe crib, cradle, or bassinet has:
- a firm, flat mattress that’s in good condition and fits snugly into the frame
- a tight-fitting bottom sheet for the mattress
- no stuffed animals, toys, pillows, or bumper pads
- no other items such as heavy blankets, quilts, sheepskins, or positioning devices like wedges or rolls
Putting a blanket over top of the crib, cradle, or bassinet to block out light is not recommended. It can cause your baby to get too hot. If the blanket falls on your baby, it could also decrease airflow and smother them. Make sure the crib, cradle, or bassinet follows government safety standards.
Playpens are for play
Playpens
are not meant for unsupervised sleep. They don’t meet the
same safety requirements as cribs, cradles, and bassinets.
Car seats are for travel
Car seats keep babies safe during travel and shouldn’t be used for sleeping. It’s not safe for babies to sleep in a seated position. When you get to where you’re going, take your baby out of the car seat and put them on their back to sleep on a safe sleep surface.
Health Canada has more information on
safety standards for cribs, cradles, and bassinets.
Keep your baby warm, not hot
If your baby gets too hot, it increases their risk for SIDS. Your baby is too hot if they're sweating or they feel too warm to the touch.
Your baby is safest when the room temperature is comfortable for an adult wearing light clothing.
If your home is cool, choose a warmer sleeper for your baby. Try not to over-bundle or over-dress your baby.
Your baby does not need a blanket. If you choose to use a blanket, make sure it:
- is light weight
- is firmly tucked under all 3 sides of the mattress
- reaches only to your baby’s chest
Swaddling is often used to calm and soothe a baby. Babies do not need to be swaddled for sleep. It can make them too hot or put them at risk of SIDS. To learn more, watch the
swaddling video on HealthyParentsHealthyChildren.ca, under the
Swaddling heading.
Keep spaces smoke and aerosol-free before and after birth
Help your baby be healthy by not smoking or vaping. Smoking or breathing in second-hand smoke during and after pregnancy increases the risk of SIDS.
Make sure no one ever smokes or vapes around your baby at home, during travel, or while others are caring for your baby. A baby exposed to second-hand smoke both before and after birth is at a higher risk of SIDS.
For help to use less or quit smoking or vaping, go to
Alberta Quits or call toll-free 1-866-710-QUIT (7488).
Breastfeed your baby
Breastfeeding may offer some protection against SIDS. Exclusive breastfeeding (feeding only breastmilk, whether directly at the breast or expressed) for the first 6 months of life is recommended.
Taking your baby into bed for feeding or for comfort is risky if you fall asleep. Lying down to feed works well as a feeding position, but it’s easier to fall asleep if you’re lying down, especially if you’re tired.
To stay awake while feeding your baby in your bed, wipe your face and neck with a wet cloth or keep the room lights, TV, or music on. Put your baby on their back in their own crib, cradle, or bassinet if you feel sleepy.
Share a room with your baby
Room-sharing means your baby sleeps in the same room as you or another person, but on a separate sleep surface, like their own crib, cradle, or bassinet. It’s recommended that you share a room with your baby for at least the first 6 months. Room-sharing reduces the risk of SIDS when your baby sleeps on a separate surface.
Room-sharing:
- keeps your baby close and safe
- supports the bond between you and your baby
- makes it easier to learn and respond to your baby’s cues
- makes it easier to feed your baby especially at night
If you bring your baby into bed to feed them, put them back in their own crib, cradle, or bassinet before you go to sleep.
Don’t share a bed, sofa, or any other sleep surface with your baby
It's safest for your baby to have their own sleep surface that is
not shared with anyone, including a parent, caregiver, other child, or even a pet. Twins and other multiples are also safer when sleeping on their own and not sharing a sleep surface.
Bed-sharing (sharing a bed or other sleep surface, like a sofa) can increase the risk of SIDS.
Your baby could fall, get strangled, or suffocate if they:
- get trapped between a mattress and headboard or footboard
- get wedged against a wall or person
- become tangled in bedding, pillows, or cushions
If you choose to bed-share with your with your baby, always follow the advice below. Remember that these precautions help to lower the risk, but they do not make bed-sharing safe:
- Never sleep with your baby on a soft or padded surface such as a sofa, upholstered chair, bed with a soft mattress or bedding, or a water-filled or air-filled mattress.
- Keep bed covers, blankets, and pillows far away from your baby.
- Make sure you and your partner know when your baby is in bed with you.
Never share a bed or sleep surface with your baby if you or your partner:
- smoke
- are overtired from stress or lack of sleep
- have used alcohol, cannabis, drugs, or any prescription, non-prescription, or herbal medicine that makes you sleepy or less responsive to your baby’s needs
Learn more
To learn more about safe sleep for your baby’s first year, go to
HealthyParentsHealthyChildren.ca
