Safe S

fo

l e e p 

r my 

n G R 

Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant 

Death Syndr

A N D B A B

ome (SIDS) 

Y 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 

For more information on sleep position for babies and 

reducing the risk of SIDS, contact the B a ck to Sleep 

campaign at: 

Mail: 31 Center Drive, 31/2A32, Bethesda, MD 20892 

Phone: 1-800-505-CRIB (2742) 

Fax: (301) 496-7101 

Web site: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/SIDS 

B a ck to Sleep campaign sponsors include: 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 

Maternal and Child Health Bureau/HRSA 

American Academy of Pediatrics • First Candle/SIDS A l l i a n c e 

Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 

NIH Pub. No. 05-4978 

November 2005 

If you use a blanket, place the baby with feet at the end 

of the crib. The blanket should reach no higher than the 

b a b y ’s chest. Tuck the ends of the blanket under the crib 

mattress to ensure safety. 

B a b i es Sleep Safest on Their Backs. 

One of the easiest ways to lower your grandbaby’s 

risk of SIDS is to put him or her on the back to 

sleep, for naps and at night. Health care providers 

used to think that babies should sleep on their 

stomachs, but re s e a rch now shows that babies 

a re less likely to die of SIDS when they sleep on 

their backs. Placing your grandbaby on his or 

her back to sleep is the number one way to 

reduce the risk of SIDS. 

Q. But won’t my grandbaby choke if he or 

she sleeps on his or her back? 

A. No. Healthy babies automatically swallow or 

cough up fluids. There has been no increase in 

choking or other problems for babies who sleep 

on their backs. 

Spread the Word! 

Make sure everyone who cares for your 

grandbaby knows the Safe Sleep Top 10! 

Tell family members, babysitters, childcare 

p roviders, and other caregivers to always place

your grandbaby on his or her back to sleep to 

reduce the risk of SIDS. Babies who usually 

sleep on their backs but who are then placed o

their stomachs, even for a nap, are at very high

risk for SIDS—so every sleep time counts! 

Enjoy Your Grandbaby!
 

Fast Facts About SIDS 

■ SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 

between 1 month and 1 year of age. 

■ Most SIDS deaths happen when babies are 

between 2 months and 4 months of age. 

■ The SIDS rates among African American and 

American Indian/Alaska Native infants have 

greatly declined in recent years. S t i l l , t h e s e 

i n fants are much more likely to die of SIDS than 

white infants are. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is SIDS?
 

SIDS stands for sudden infant death syndrome. 

This term describes the sudden, unexplained 

death of an infant younger than 1 year of age. 

Some people call SIDS “crib death” because 

many babies who die of SIDS are found in their 

cribs. But, cribs don’t cause SIDS. 

What Should I Know 

About SIDS? 

Health care providers don’t know exactly what 

causes SIDS, but they do know: 

Babies sleep safer on their 

backs. Babies who sleep on their 

stomachs are much more likely to die 

of SIDS than babies who sleep on 

their backs. 

Sleep surface matters. B a b i e s 

who sleep on or under soft bedding 

a re more likely to die of SIDS. 

Every sleep time counts. B a b i e s 

who usually sleep on their backs but 

who are then placed on their stomachs, 

like for a nap, are at very high risk for 

SIDS. So it’s important for e v e ry o n e 

who cares for your grandbaby to use 

the back sleep position for naps and at 

n i g h t . 

Communities across the nation 

have made great pro g ress in 

reducing SIDS! Since the Back to 

S l e e p campaign began in 1994, the 

SIDS rate in the United States has 

declined by more than 50 perc e n t . 

Always place your grandbaby on his or her back to sleep. 

What Can I Do to Lower My


Grandbaby’s Risk of SIDS?


Here are 10 ways that you and others who care 

for your grandbaby can reduce the risk of SIDS. 

Safe Sleep Top 10 

Always place your grandbaby 1 on his or her back to sleep, 

for naps and at night. The back 

sleep position is the safest, and every 

sleep time counts. 

Place your grandbaby on a firm 2 s l e e p s u rface, such as on a 

s a f e t y -a p p roved* crib mattre s s , 

c o v e re d by a fitted sheet. Never 

place your grandbaby to sleep on pillows, 

quilts, sheepskins, or other soft surf a c e s . 

3
 Keep soft objects, toys, and 

loose bedding out of your 

grandbaby’s sleep area. 

D o n ’t use pillows, blankets, quilts, 

sheepskins, or pillow-like crib 

bumpers in your grandbaby’s sleep 

a rea, and keep all items away fro m 

your grandbaby’s face. 

5
 Keep your grandbaby’s sleep 

area close to, but separate 

from, where you and others 

sleep. Your grandbaby should not 

sleep in a bed or on a couch or 

a rmchair with adults or other childre n , 

but he or she can sleep in the same 

room as you. If the baby is bro u g h t 

into bed for feeding, put him or her 

back in a separate sleep area, such 

as a bassinet, crib, cradle, or a 

bedside cosleeper (infant bed that 

attaches to an adult bed) when finished. 

6
 Think about using a clean, dry 

pacifier when placing your 

grandbaby down to sleep, but 

don’t force the baby to take it. (If your 

grandbaby is being breastfed, wait 

until your grandbaby is 1 month old or 

is used to breastfeeding before using 

a pacifier.) 

Do not allow smoking around 4
 your grandbaby. Don’t smoke or 

let others smoke around your 

grandbaby. 

Do not let your grandbaby 7
 overheat during sleep. Dress 

your grandbaby in light sleep clothing, 

and keep the room at a temperature 

that is comfortable for an adult. 

8
 Avoid products that claim to 

reduce the risk of SIDS because 

most have not been tested for 

effectiveness or safety. 

Do not use home monitors to 9
 

reduce the risk of SIDS. If you 

have questions about using monitors 

for other conditions talk to your 

grandbaby’s health care provider. 

Reduce the chance that flat 10
 spots will develop on your 

grandbaby’s head: provide 

“Tummy Time” when your grandbaby is 

awake and someone is watching; change 

the direction that your grandbaby lies in 

the crib from one week to the next; and 

avoid too much time in car seats, 

carriers, and bouncers. 

Your grandbaby needs Tummy Time! Place babies 

on their stomachs when they are awake and someone is 

watching. Tummy Time helps your grandbaby’s head, 

neck, and shoulder muscles get stronger and helps to 

prevent flat spots on the head. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/SIDS 

* For information on crib safety guidelines, contact 

the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 

1-800-638-2772 or http://www.cpsc.gov.