SAFE SLEEP: Choosing the Best Sleep Surface for Your Baby

Your baby will spend most of their time sleeping the first few months after birth. When looking for the best baby mattress, there is no doubt that you will want to choose a soft sleep surface. A soft mattress gives the impression that your baby will sleep better. You might be thinking that a comfortable and cozy bed would mean a less tired, fussy baby. Yet, soft is NOT the best for the safety and well-being of your newborn son or daughter.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children sleep on a firm mattress only. Safe sleep rules advise that a baby’s crib should have nothing more than a tightly fitted sheet on a firm mattress. Soft bedding, bumper pads, blankets, toys, sleep positioners or anything else in a crib should be removed. These items can cause strangulation or suffocation and increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Parents and caregivers, it is also important to remember that the mattress should fit snug within the crib. There should be no gaps between the mattress and crib walls. It is essential that a baby’s crib is a place where he or she can sleep safe and sound.

Safe sleep is what your baby needs to thrive! Infants younger than one year old are at risk of SIDS. To reduce to risk of SIDS, a baby should always be put to sleep on their back. A safe sleep environment can also reduce the risk. Learn more about how you can keep your little one safe with the five rules of safe sleep here.