Administration for Children's Services311Search all NYC.gov websites
Safe Sleep for Babies
Every year, between 40 and 50 babies in New York City die from a sleep-related injury. That’s almost one baby every week. The good news is these deaths are preventable. Read below to learn more about sleep-related injury deaths and how to safely put your baby to sleep.
What is a Sleep-Related Injury Death?
A sleep-related injury death is the sudden death of an infant less than 1 year old that occurs because of where and/or how they were placed to sleep. Sleep-related infant injury death is not the same as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) or “crib death.” SIDS is the natural death of a baby that cannot be explained after a careful medical review of the case. Unlike SIDS, sleep-related infant injury deaths involve accidents that can be explained and are mostly preventable.
Here are the most recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), issued in October 2016, for where and how to safely place your baby to sleep:
Be sure to checkout our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
What is a Sleep-Related Injury Death?
A sleep-related injury death is the sudden death of an infant less than 1 year old that occurs because of where and/or how they were placed to sleep. Sleep-related infant injury death is not the same as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) or “crib death.” SIDS is the natural death of a baby that cannot be explained after a careful medical review of the case. Unlike SIDS, sleep-related infant injury deaths involve accidents that can be explained and are mostly preventable.
Creating a Safe Sleep Environment
Here are the most recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), issued in October 2016, for where and how to safely place your baby to sleep: Be sure to checkout our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
Watch the safe sleep video in eight short chapters:
- Is Bed Sharing Safe?
- Should I Bed Share if my Apartment is Cold?
- Should I Bed Share When I'm Breast Feeding?
- Why Should My Baby Sleep on His Back?
- What About Side Sleeping? Is That Safe?
- What if My Family Doesn't Practice Safe Sleep?
- If I Break the Safe Sleep Rules Occasionally, What's the Harm?
- What if I Don't Have Enough Space for a Crib?
- Baby Gear: Where Can my Baby Sleep?
Watch the full version of the safe sleep video:
-
View Safe Sleep posters:
- English
- Spanish
- Safe Sleep Brochure
-
NYC Resources
- Call 311 to order informational safe sleep magnets, available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin Chinese and French.
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Infant Safety
-
National Resources
- American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Child Care
- B’More for Healthy Babies
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: SUID and SIDS
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Safe to Sleep Campaign
- National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education
- Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Safe to Sleep ® Crib Information Center