Baby Sleep Safety

Practice infant sleep safety to reduce your baby's risk for conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). You'll feel at peace knowing your little one is resting securely.

Safe Sleeping Tips for Babies

Follow these recommendations for safe infant sleeping:

Do's

• Make sure your baby has his or her own sleep space, such as a crib or bassinet.
• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, including at naptime.
• Remove all toys, pillows, loose sheets and bedding—including bumpers and positioners—from your baby's sleep area.
• Ensure your baby sleeps on a firm mattress covered in a tightly fitted sheet.
• After nighttime feedings, place your baby back in his or her own sleep space.
• Make sure your baby is at a comfortable temperature and isn't dressed too warmly. The optimal room temperature is 68–72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Don'ts

• Don't expose your baby to cigarette smoke or places where someone has recently smoked.
• Don't lay your baby down to sleep on a soft surface, such as adult beds, sofas, chairs, waterbeds, quilts, etc.
• Don't use positioners or wedges to keep your baby on his or her back.

Your Baby's Best Sleep

Find a smoother hospital-to-home transition at Genesis BirthCenters.

After we bathe your newborn at the Davenport BirthCenter, we place him or her in a HALO SleepSack wearable blanket. The SleepSack swaddles your baby with closeable cloth wings while allowing free leg movement and easy access for diaper changes. It replaces the need for a traditional blanket and helps establish a safe, comfortable sleep routine. In fact, you can even take the SleepSack home to better ease the transition.

The HALO SleepSack is now offered as a take-home gift at the Silvis BirthCenter.