The ABCs of infant sleep:   

A – Sleep alone   

B –  On their back, with no blankets or bedding   

C – In a crib and cool   

S – In a smoke-free room

Do:  

• Do put babies to sleep alone on their backs in a crib or on another firm surface with a tight-fitting bottom sheet. If the baby leaves a dent in the bed, it’s too soft.  
• Do keep babies away from secondhand smoke.  
• Do dress babies lightly and control the room temperature.  
• Do breast feed and use pacifiers. Both may lower risk of sudden death. 

Don’t:  

• Don’t put babies to sleep with blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or bumper pads.  
• Don’t cover a baby’s face or let a baby cover his or her face with anything.  
• Don’t let babies sleep with older kids.  
• Don’t sleep with a baby, especially if you have been using alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy. Don’t sleep with a baby when you are very tired.  
• Don’t put babies to sleep on chairs, sofas, futons, beanbags, or cushions.  
• Don’t put babies to sleep on soft beds such as pillow tops, waterbeds, or memory foam. If the baby leaves a dent in the bed, it’s too soft.  
• Don’t expose babies to smoke. 

For more safe parenting tips, visit  www.HelpandHope.org [sic, broken link] . 

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