During infancy, put the baby to sleep on their back on a firm surface; share a room but not a bed; and do not place any soft items in the crib or bed
Grade ABig benefitLifespanFreeLittle timeHigh willpower
While the child is still an infant, lay the child face up on a firm surface that does not incline. An inclined cradle or an infant seat cannot be used as a bed. The adult and the child sleep in the same room, but not in the same bed. Do not put soft things on the bed, such as pillows, quilts, bed bumpers, or stuffed toys. In the United States alone, about 3500 infants die each year from causes related to sleep.
- Cost
- This costs nothing upfront. However, you’ll need to replace the mattress with a firm one, which may cost several hundred yuan. The real challenge is resisting pressure from older relatives to deviate from this rule.
- Benefit
- Each year, nearly 3,500 infants in the U.S. lose their lives to sleep-related issues, including sudden infant death syndrome, deaths of unknown cause, and accidental suffocation in bedding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a safe sleep environment consisting of: infants sleeping on their backs; using a solid, non-inclined sleeping surface; sharing a room without sharing a bed; and avoiding soft bedding and overheating. Additional protective measures include breastfeeding, keeping infants away from nicotine and alcohol, ensuring all vaccinations are up to date, and offering a pacifier during sleep.
- Notes
- “Do not place any soft items in the bed” means absolutely no pillows, blankets, bed rails, stuffed toys, or shaped pillows — even nursing pillows that appear perfectly safe are prohibited. Inclined cribs and baby chairs must never be used as sleeping areas. This requirement represents the biggest departure from common practice in this section, and it often requires the strongest resistance to family pressure.
Sources · 1
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I, Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the Committee on Fetus and Newborn (2022). Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment. Pediatrics, 150(1), e2022057990. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057990