Safer Sleep for My Baby
Helping Parents and Caregivers
Create a Safer Sleep Plan
As parents or caregivers, you make many decisions every day to help keep your baby
healthy and safe. When it comes to sleep, your baby’s sleep environment is always
important – day or night. Some sleep practices are safer than others. This pamphlet
shares information about how to help make your baby’s sleep environment as safe as
possible – so every sleep is a safer sleep. Share this pamphlet with everyone who will be
looking after your baby.
You and your health care provider can also discuss your infant’s sleep plan. For more
information, see the resources at the end of this document.
Make Every Sleep a Safer Sleep
Place baby on their back to sleep
Put your baby to sleep on their back for every sleep, whether it's naptime or nighttime.
Babies can breathe well on their back, and will not choke on their spit-up or saliva.
Use a rm mattress free of hazards
Use a firm mattress made for babies, with no bumper pads, pillows, heavy blankets,
comforters, quilts or toys. This will help keep their sleep space safe.
Use a crib or bassinet
For many babies, the safest place to sleep is in their own Health Canada-approved crib,
cradle or bassinet when at home or traveling. Plan ahead when traveling, and make
sure there is a safe sleep surface for your baby. Check out this Health Canada link for
more information:
www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/safe-sleep/cribs-cradles-
bassinets.html
. To learn more about safer bedsharing explore the bedsharing questions
to ask yourself on the next page.
Breastfeed or chestfeed as much as possible
One way to help prevent sleep-related infant death is by breastfeeding or chestfeeding –
which helps boost a baby’s immune system. The more you breastfeed or chestfeed, the
greater the protection. Any amount of human milk will help keep your baby healthy.
Share your room
Have your baby sleep on a separate sleep surface in the same room as you for the first
six months.
Be smoke-free
Smoking increases your baby’s risk of sleep-related death. Keeping your home smoke-free
before and after birth, as well as being smoke-free during pregnancy, can help prevent
sleep-related infant death.
Avoid exposing your baby to cannabis, vaping and e-cigarettes during pregnancy and
after birth. For more information to help you or someone in your home to quit smoking,
please visit
www.quitnow.ca
.
Safer Sleep for My Baby: Helping Parents and Caregivers Create a Safer Sleep Plan
Sleep-Related Infant Death Includes:
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a sudden and unexpected infant
death without an explanation.
Accidental Death can be the result of a fall from a sleep surface or of
suffocation as a result of items in the bed, the baby lying face down, or the
parent or another child rolling onto the baby.
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Safer Sleep for My Baby: Helping Parents and Caregivers Create a Safer Sleep Plan
Be alcohol/drug free
Drinking alcohol, using drugs or taking some medicines can make you drowsy and cause
you to sleep more heavily. Heavy sleep increases the risk that you will roll over onto your
baby if you are bedsharing. Have another adult on hand to help with your baby if you
have consumed anything that makes you less alert.
If you would like support for any kind of substance use (including alcohol
or other drugs), free, confidential information and telephone support is
available from the Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Service. Call
1-800-663-1441 (toll-free in B.C.) or 604-660-9382 (in the Lower Mainland).
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in multiple languages.
Keep temperatures comfortable
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and use a thin,
lightweight sleep sack or cotton baby blanket so that your
baby does not overheat. If the temperature is comfortable for
you, then it is comfortable for your baby. If using a sleep sack,
it should fit well around baby’s shoulders so that your baby’s
head does not slip down into the bag. Extra bedding or hats
indoors are not needed.
What about swaddling?
Swaddling is not needed and can be unsafe. Tight swaddling
can make it hard for your baby to breathe, and can lead to
pneumonia. Swaddling can also cause your baby to overheat
and increase the risk of sleep-related infant death. It can also
cause hip problems. In addition, swaddled babies can get
stuck on their stomachs and be unable to move into a safer
position if they roll over.
If you choose to swaddle, ensure that:
Baby is placed on their back to sleep.
Only swaddle from the shoulder down – not over the face,
and ensure hands and arms are free.
Swaddle not too tightly or loosely. Make sure you can fit
2 fingers between the blanket and the baby’s chest, and
that baby can bend and move their legs.
Use a light cotton blanket.
Avoid swaddling past 2-3 months or once your baby
can make strong movements on their own.
Are adult beds safe?
Adult beds are not designed to keep babies safe. Often they
are too soft, and blankets and pillows can increase the risk of
suffocation or entrapment. It is not safe to leave your baby
unattended on an adult bed. Sleeping on a raised bed also
increases the risk of falls.
Tips on car seats, carriers and strollers
It is not safe to leave your baby asleep in a car seat. Once you
have reached your destination, place your baby on a safe
sleep surface – even if they are only napping. It is not safe to
leave babies unattended in carriers or strollers.
Are sofas, recliners or couches safe?
It is never safe for a baby to sleep on a couch or chair – either alone or with a caregiver.
Your baby can fall to the floor or slip between your body and the cushions, leaving them
unable to breathe. Have a bassinet or crib ready, or ask someone else to take the baby
when you need to rest.
Alternative Safer Sleep Surfaces
If using an alternative sleep surface, ensure
it is firm, flat and placed on the floor.
Keep the surface dry, pest-free, and away
from pets and electrical cords. Ensure
nothing can fall in and it won’t be tripped
on. The sleep surface needs minimal
padding – you can use a lightweight
blanket wrapped around and taped to the
bottom of a sturdy piece of card board as
a mattress.
Basket
Box or carton
Washtub
Drawer on the oor
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Safer Sleep for My Baby: Helping Parents and Caregivers Create a Safer Sleep Plan
Bedsharing
The safest place for many babies to sleep for the first 6 months is on their own safe sleep
surface in your room. Some families may prefer to bedshare for cultural or personal
reasons, and some families might end up bedsharing even if they hadn't planned to.
If you think you might ever share a bed with your baby, or even if you don’t plan to
do so, here are some questions to ask yourself to make bedsharing as safe as possible
for your baby.
Questions to ask yourself…
1. Was your baby full term (born after 37 weeks) and did they weigh
more than 2.5 kg or 5.5 lbs at birth?
Premature and small-at-birth babies have an increased risk of sleep-related death.
This risk increases if baby is also bedsharing.
2. Were you and anyone else you were living with smoke-free
while pregnant?
Exposure to smoke during pregnancy increases your baby’s risk of sleep-related
death. This risk increases if baby is also bedsharing.
3. Is your baby’s environment smoke-free?
Exposure to smoke, including second-hand smoke from any parent or caregiver,
increases baby’s risk of sleep-related death. This risk increases if baby is also
bedsharing. For support to quit smoking, visit
www.quitnow.ca
4. Are you, and anyone else who shares the bed, alcohol- and drug-free,
and free of any substance that might make you sleep more heavily?
Heavy sleep increases the risk that you will roll over onto your baby, which can cause
suffocation. It’s best to have another adult on hand to help with your baby if you
have consumed any alcohol, drugs or medicines that make you less alert.
5. Is your baby breastfeeding or chestfeeding?
If you are not breastfeeding, chestfeeding or feeding human milk it is safest to not
bedshare with your baby.
If you answered NO to ANY of these questions, then bedsharing may not be a safe
option for your baby and is not recommended. Your health care provider can help you
develop a safer sleep plan for your baby.
If you answered YES to ALL of these questions, review the checklist on the
next page.
Bedsharing and Breastfeeding or Chestfeeding
It is normal for babies to feed often during the night, and as a result some
parents find themselves bedsharing. Most parents who breastfeed or
chestfeed their baby in bed will naturally sleep in a “C” shape – facing
their baby with their knees drawn up under the baby’s feet and their arm
above the baby’s head. This protects the baby from moving down under
the covers or up under the pillow.
Breastfeed or chestfeed your baby at night in a safe bed rather than on a
couch or in a chair if you feel like you will fall asleep during the feed. You
and your health care provider may wish to discuss sleep positions that can
help you rest and keep your baby safe.
Caring for a baby takes a lot of energy and is tiring. Ask your support
people for help, take naps when you can, and eat healthy food.
Denition of Bedsharing:
Bedsharing happens when a baby
shares an adult bed or mattress with
a parent or caregiver.
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Yes No
Safer Sleep for My Baby: Helping Parents and Caregivers Create a Safer Sleep Plan
Checklist: Additional ways to help
keep baby safer if bedsharing
Baby is put to sleep on their back.
It is safest for babies to sleep on their back.
Mattress is on the oor.
To reduce the risk of falls, the mattress should be on the floor and away from walls.
Ensure there is space around the bed so your baby cannot get trapped between
the mattress and the wall or bedside table. Make sure the mattress is firm and clean
(no waterbeds, pillow tops, feather beds, air mattresses or sagging mattresses).
Baby is far away from any pillows, duvets and heavy blankets.
Pillows, duvets and heavy blankets may increase baby’s chance of suffocation
and entanglement. Use only a lightweight sleep sack or cotton baby blanket on
your baby.
Baby is able to move freely and is not swaddled.
Baby should be able to move freely. Swaddling can restrict baby’s movements,
and put them at increased risk. Swaddled babies can get stuck on their stomachs
and be unable to move into a safer position if they roll over.
Baby sleeps on the outside of the bed, instead of between adults.
If there are two adults in the bed, ensure that baby sleeps on the outside of the
bed, instead of between adults. Both adults need to be aware that baby is in the
bed and be comfortable with this decision.
Baby and adult(s) are the only people on the sleep surface.
Ensure that no other children or pets share the baby’s sleep surface.
Ensure that baby is not left alone in an adult bed.
Adult beds aren’t designed to keep babies safe.
Other Resources:
More information on baby care and
parenting can be found at:
HealthLink BC
Trusted health information is just a phone
call or a click away. HealthLink BC gives you
quick and easy access to non-emergency
health information and services.
You can speak with a nurse, pharmacist,
dietitian or other health professional to
get advice, and find health services and
resources near you:
Phone 8-1-1 or visit:
www.healthlinkbc.ca/
Baby’s Best Chance
Trusted resource for information about
pregnancy and caring for your baby:
healthlinkbc.ca/pregnancy-parent ing/
babys-best-chance
Honouring Our Babies
A safer-sleep toolkit to support
conversations between Indigenous
parents and caregivers and health
care providers:
perinatalservicesbc.c a/Documents/Resources/
Aboriginal/S afeSleep/HOB_SafeSleep_
IllustratedCards.pdf
Checklist and image adapted
from: Maximizing the chances of
Safe Infant Sleep in the Solitary
and Cosleeping (Specically,
Bed-sharing) Contexts, by James
J. McKenna, Ph.D. Professor of
Biological Anthropology, Director,
Mother-Baby Sleep Laboratory,
University of Notre Dame.
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