Sudden Unexpected Infant Death/Sleep-Related Death Prevention

The resources on this page were selected by the Infant Safe Sleep Partnership based on needs and requests of stakeholders who promote safe sleep in Colorado. If you have a special request for a resource or training that is not listed here, please contact the CFPS Staff.


American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendations for Safe Infant Sleep

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following for safe infant sleep:
  • Back to sleep for every sleep.
  • Use a firm sleep surface. Car seats and other sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.
  • Breastfeeding is recommended.
  • Room-sharing without bed-sharing: the baby should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed.
  • Keep soft objects and loose bedding away from the infant’s sleep area. 
    • This includes pillows, blankets, and bumper pads. There is no evidence that bumper pads prevent injuries, and there is a potential risk of suffocation, strangulation or entrapment.
    • Wedges and positioners should not be used.
  • Consider offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.
  • Avoid smoke exposure during pregnancy and after birth.
  • Avoid alcohol and illicit drug use during pregnancy and after birth.
  • Avoid covering the infant’s head or overheating.
  • Pregnant women should seek and obtain regular prenatal care.
  • Infants should be immunized in accordance with AAP and CDC recommendations. Evidence suggests that immunization reduces the risk of SIDS by 50 percent.
  • Do not use home cardiorespiratory monitors as a strategy to reduce the risk of SIDS.
  • Health care providers, staff in newborn nurseries and NICUs, and child care providers should endorse and model the SIDS risk-reduction recommendations from birth.
  • Media and manufacturers should follow safe sleep guidelines in their messaging and advertising. 
  • Continue the “Safe to Sleep” campaign, focusing on ways to reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS, suffocation, and other unintentional deaths. Pediatricians and other primary care providers should actively participate in this campaign.
  • Avoid the use of commercial devices that are inconsistent with safe sleep recommendations.
  • Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended to facilitate development and to minimize development of positional plagiocephaly (flat heads). 
  • Continue research and surveillance on the risk factors, causes, and pathophysiologic mechanisms of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, with the ultimate goal of eliminating these deaths entirely.
  • There is no evidence to recommend swaddling as a strategy to reduce the risk of SIDS.
To learn more about the AAP recommendations, read “SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment”.

Parent information will be available at www.healthychildren.org/safesleep

Infant Safe Sleep Resources

Safe Sleep Promotion / Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Prevention Strategies
You can use the above resources for health education, public awareness and media campaigns for:
  • Parents, families and caregivers
  • Healthcare providers in various settings: hospitals, doctors's offices, etc. 
  • Childcare workers (licensed and in-home care)
  • First Responders (for example, DOSE Training)
  • Communities (for example, B'More for Healthy Babies safe sleep work)

Do you have local prevention efforts that you'd like to update us on? Go to the Prevention Tracking page to fill out a quick form.