Back to Sleep Campaign
The Back to Sleep Campaign started in 1994 as a way to educate parents, caregivers, and health care providers about ways to reduce the risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The campaign was named for its recommendation to place healthy babies on their backs to sleep. Placing babies on their backs to sleep reduces the risk for SIDS, also known as "crib death." This campaign has been successful in promoting infant back sleeping and other risk-reduction strategies to parents, family members, child care providers, health professionals, and all other caregivers of infants.
Overall SIDS rates have declined more than 50% since the program started. This is largely due to the adherence of the “Safe Sleep Top 10.”
- Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and for night.
- Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as a safety approved mattress, covered by a fitted sheet.
- Keep soft objects, toys, and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
- Keep your baby’s sleep area close to, but separate from, where you and others sleep.
- Think about using a clean, dry pacifier when placing your infant down to sleep.
- Do not let your baby overheat during sleep.
- Avoid products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Do not allow smoking around your baby.
- Do not use home monitors to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Reduce the chance that flat spots will develop on your baby’s head.
For additional information about the Back to Sleep Campaign, please view the National Institute of Child Health and Human services flyer below, or visit their website at nichd.nih.gov.