Suffocation due to an unsafe sleep environment is the leading cause of injury-related deaths among children under 1 year of age. By following a few simple tips, parents and caregivers can create a safer sleep space for little ones.

Top Safety Tips:

• Babies should be placed on their back for every sleep.
• Babies should sleep in their own sleep space, such as a crib, bassinet, or pack-n-play. It is recommended that babies sleep in the same room as their parents, but not in the same bed.
• Babies should sleep on a firm surface, such as a crib mattress with a tight-fitting crib sheet.
• Avoid soft bedding, loose pillows, crib bumpers, stuffed animals, or blankets in a baby’s sleep space because these could block a baby’s airway.
• Breastfeeding and supervised tummy time while baby is awake are recommended to help prevent sleep-related deaths.

Learn More:

• Safe Kids Worldwide – Sleep Safety and Suffocation
• American Academy of Pediatrics – Parents Guide to Safe Sleep

Community Partners:

• Austin Public Health – Safe sleep presentations for community healthcare providers and facilitator of the Safe Sleep Coalition
• Simply Safety Store – Low-cost portable cribs, sleep sacks, and baby boxes.
• Austin-Travis County EMS – Hosts Safe Baby Academy at Seton hospitals and other community sites