What are the safe sleep basics for a newborn?
The core safe-sleep guidance in Canada is to place a baby on their back, alone, on a firm flat surface in a crib, cradle or bassinet, with no soft bedding, and to share a room (not a bed) with the baby for the first months. Always confirm specifics with your provider.
Points clés
- Canada's core safe-sleep guidance: place a baby on their back for every sleep, on a firm flat surface in a crib, cradle or bassinet, with no pillows, bumpers, loose blankets, or soft toys.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend room-sharing without bed-sharing for at least the first six months, in a smoke-free environment.
- If a family swaddles, the baby is still placed on their back, and swaddling is stopped once the baby shows signs of rolling. Confirm current specifics with your provider.
The widely recommended basics
The Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society describe the same core practices: put babies to sleep on their back for every sleep; use a firm, flat surface in a crib, cradle or bassinet that meets current Canadian safety regulations; keep the sleep space bare, with no pillows, bumper pads, loose blankets, or soft toys; and share a room with the baby, without sharing a bed, for at least the first six months.
A smoke-free environment and, where it works for the family, breastfeeding are also part of the guidance associated with lower risk.
Swaddling and safe sleep
Karp popularized swaddling as a soothing technique. If a family swaddles, safe-sleep guidance still applies: the baby is placed on their back, the swaddle is not too tight around the hips, and swaddling is stopped once a baby shows signs of rolling. Your provider can advise on your baby.
This is a starting point, not medical advice
Safe-sleep recommendations are specific and occasionally updated. Treat this as an orientation and confirm the current guidance with your provider or a trusted Canadian source such as caringforkids.cps.ca.
Les parents demandent aussi
- Is bed-sharing safe?
- Canadian guidance recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing for at least the first six months. Discuss your specific situation with your provider, who can weigh your circumstances.
- When should I stop swaddling?
- Common guidance is to stop swaddling once a baby shows signs of rolling, because a swaddled baby who rolls to their front is at higher risk. Confirm timing with your provider.
Sources
- Canadian Paediatric Society — Caring for Kids
Back to sleep, firm flat surface, bare crib, and room-sharing without bed-sharing for the first six months.
- Health Canada
The Canadian Joint Statement on safe sleep: back position, no soft bedding, room-sharing.
- Harvey Karp — The Happiest Baby on the Block
Swaddling as a soothing technique, discontinued once a baby begins to roll.