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Babies Need to Breathe.
On their Back – Every Nap. Every Night.
Just like a car seat keeps your baby safe, putting your baby flat on their back every time they sleep helps them breathe easy – and you, too.
Reducing Babies’ Risk in St. Joseph County
Every year, babies in our Indiana community die from sleep-related deaths. But these deaths are preventable. Babies don’t need much to have a safe, happy sleep. Just a flat surface in a crib or bassinet makes a safe space for your baby.
With your love, care and following the ABCDEs of safe sleep, you can help your baby sleep safely every nap and every night.
Know the ABCDEs of Safe Sleep
A – Alone
Your baby can sleep in the same room as you, but in their own space. Give your baby the safest sleep by using their own crib, bassinet or pack and play, without pillows, blankets, toys or people.
B – Back
Start every sleep with your baby lying flat on their back. This keeps your baby’s airway open, helps them breathe safely and prevents them from overheating.
C – Crib
Babies need to sleep in a crib with a firm mattress and a fitted sheet. Adult mattresses are too soft for babies. Remove pillows and blankets and don’t prop your baby’s head or neck.
D – Don’t Smoke
Keep yourself and your home smoke free during pregnancy and after your baby is born. Babies need to breathe fresh air. Sleep-related infant deaths happen four times more often in babies whose mom smoked during pregnancy or home had tobacco smoke in the air.
E – Everyone
Everyone can help keep your baby safe while sleeping! Moms and dads, grandparents, caregivers, babysitters, aunts and uncles all play a role in making sure your baby breathes easily during sleep.
Sleep-Related Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) by the Numbers
Sleep-related infant deaths are preventable, yet they still happen every year in our community. Here’s what the numbers show from 2019-2023.
26
Number of babies who died from a sleep-related infant death in St. Joseph County.
1st
Sleep-related SUID was the number one cause of child death in St. Joseph County in this time period, for children ages 0-17 (more than drowning or car crashes).
100%
In every sleep-related infant death studied in St. Joseph County, babies were placed to sleep in ways that made it harder for them to breathe – like sleeping on their stomach, in an adult bed, with other people, toys and pillows, or with their head or neck propped. Following the ABCDEs of safe sleep can prevent these deaths.
How Does a Baby’s Airway Affect Safe Sleep?
Your baby mostly breathes through their nose for the first 4-6 months of life. The opening of their airway is tiny and smaller than a straw. Putting your baby on their back for every sleep keeps their airway clear so they can breathe easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sharing an adult bed with a baby increases the risk of sleep-related infant death. Keeping your baby in your room helps keep them safer when they are in their own crib, bassinet or pack and play. Keep them close to you but separate from your bed.
Yes, swaddling can help soothe your baby for sleep. If you plan to swaddle your infant, here are a few safety tips:
- Use a thin blanket to wrap your baby snuggly and place them on their back.
- Wearable blankets or sleep sacks are preferred over blankets.
- Stop swaddling or using sleep sacks that cover your baby’s arms as soon as they show any signs of trying to roll over.
Sleep sacks that do not swaddle and allow your baby to move freely can be used as long as you want.
No. Your baby sleeps safest on a flat surface. In car seats, swings or bouncers, their heads can tip forward and block their breathing. To protect your baby’s airway and prevent accidental suffocation, when your baby falls asleep in a car seat, swing or bouncer, move them to a firm, flat crib or bassinet as soon as possible so they can breathe easy during sleep.
It’s okay if your baby falls asleep while riding in the car because car seats are designed to keep your baby safe during travel. Once the ride is over, move your baby to a crib or bassinet for safe sleep at home.
No, sleeping on a nursing pillow or boppy is not a safe sleeping environment for a baby. Placing or propping a baby on a pillow or boppy puts your baby at risk for accidental suffocation, so place them on a firm, flat surface in a crib or bassinet for every sleep.
No. Toys, pillows, blankets, bed bumpers and other soft items increase the risk of accidental suffocation for your baby. Protect your baby’s breathing and remove all these items from your baby’s sleep space until they are over the age of one year.
Thirty years ago, it was common to place babies on their tummies to sleep, but we’ve learned a lot about helping babies to breathe during sleep. In the late-1990s, the “Back to Sleep Campaign” decreased the number of sleep-related deaths in the United States by 50%. Unfortunately, about 3,500 babies in the United States still die each year from these preventable deaths. You can keep your baby safe for every sleep by sharing the ABCDEs with everyone who cares for your baby. Flat on their back is always best.
- Breastfeed your baby, if possible.
- Give your baby a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
- Avoiding taking any prescription medications or recreational drugs that make it harder for you to wake up while caring for your baby.
What Does Safe Sleep Look Like in Practice?
Here are three examples of sleeping babies. Which one shows safe sleep?
They all do! Each baby is alone, on their back and in a crib, bassinet or pack and play. The space doesn’t need to look exactly the same to be safe. Just follow the ABCDEs, and you’re all set!
