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Safe Sleep for Babies

Unsafe sleep is a leading cause of death in babies between one month and one year of age, with most deaths occurring when a baby is between two and four months of age. Infant death due to unsafe sleep practices is preventable. Learn more about how to prevent infant deaths with safe sleep practices.

News and Events

October 8th, 2026: Seven Western New York families have experienced the devastating loss of a newborn infant in the past two months. These deaths, investigated by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office, were all in infants 6 months of age and younger, with an unsafe sleeping environment as a contributing cause.

Tips for Safe Sleep

Know the ABCS for Safe Sleep

And make sure anyone who cares for your baby knows them, too!

A = Alone

  • Your baby should sleep alone in a crib. This means no other people or children, and no pillows, blankets, toys, or bumper pads.
  • Share your room, not your bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping your baby in your room for the first 6 months. This can lower the risk of SIDS by up to 50% and makes feeding and changing easier.
  • Use a wearable blanket or another safe sleeper instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.
  • Keep your baby’s sleep space in your room, not in your bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room‑sharing for the first 6 months. It helps with breastfeeding and reduces Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk by up to 50%.

B = Back

  • Always place your baby on their back to sleep for every nap and every night. This helps your baby breathe more easily and lowers the risk of sudden unexpected infant death.
  • Make sure anyone who cares for your baby puts them on their back to sleep. Some caregivers or grandparents may think babies should sleep on their side or stomach. Remind them that your baby must sleep on their back.
  • Some babies fall asleep in car seats, strollers, carriers, or swings. When this happens, move the baby to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as you safely can.

C = Crib

  • Use a safe crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard that meets current safety standards. If a product doesn't meet federal safety standards, don't use it.
  • The mattress must be firm, flat, and fit snugly without gaps. Use only a fitted sheet—no other bedding.
  • Portable cribs and play-yard style cribs are also safe options.
  • Never place your baby to sleep on a soft surface such as an adult bed, sofa, chair, waterbed, pillow, cushion, comforter, or sheepskin.
  • Check that all bedding is safe. The AAP recommends a firm, flat sleep surface in a child-safe crib with no soft objects or loose bedding. Babies should not sleep on waterbeds, sofas, chairs, or other unstable surfaces.
  • Do not use bumper pads. They do not prevent injuries and can increase the risk of strangulation or trapping your baby.

S = Smoke‑free

  • No one should smoke in your home or around your baby.
  • Smoking increases the risk of sudden infant death (SUID/SIDS).
  • Quit smoking to reduce your baby’s risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

  • The AAP advises anyone breastfeeding in bed to be careful not to fall asleep. Be extra careful when you are very tired! Falling asleep while holding or breastfeeding your baby can cause you to roll onto the baby or allow the baby to slip into the side of the chair or bed. Many sleep accidents happen when tired caregivers fall asleep while feeding.
  • Do not sleep with your baby, especially if you have used alcohol or drugs, including prescription or over-the-counter medicines. These substances can make you sleep more deeply and reduce your awareness of the baby, increasing the risk of suffocation or entrapment.
  • Avoid co-sleeping, which means sharing a sleeping area with adults or siblings. Co-sleeping greatly increases the risk of your baby becoming trapped in bedding or being smothered during normal sleep movements. The risk is even higher if the other person sharing the bed is obese.

Safe Sleep Resources

New York State Department of Health, Safe Sleep for Baby - This page has tips for parents, educational materials for providers and educators, and resources like toolkits.

American Academy of Pediatrics, Parents’ Guide to Safe Sleep - ​Based on the latest evidence, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends ​ways to reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Safe Sleep - Check for recalls and information about product safety.

Erie County Department of Health, Quit Smoking - Find resources to help you quit.

Breastfeeding, Chestfeeding and Lactation Friendly Erie County - Erie County aims to work with hospitals, doctor’s offices, businesses, and community organizations to support parents in their goal to feed their children human milk for as long as possible.

New York State Open Data Health Portal - Explore health-related datasets, including infant mortality data, with tools to filter by county or region.

More Resources for Parents in Erie County

The Early Intervention (EI) Program is a voluntary program for families with a child who has a disability or developmental delay and is under 3 years old. The EI Program monitors, evaluates, and provides many services for the child and the family. There is no cost to families for any of these services.

LeadSAFE Erie County - You will find information here forErie County parentsabout preventing lead poisoning in children, including trainings, programs, and services available to you from the ECDOH and our community partners.

Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CYSHCN) - The Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CYSHCN) Program seeks to improve the coordination of care for children and youth who have special health care needs.

Erie County Department of Social Services - If your household receives public assistance or has limited resources, you may be eligible for assistance.

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