Safe vs. Unsafe Baby Sleep Environments: The Ultimate Guide

We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

When you’re trying to soothe your baby to sleep, you might be willing to try just about anything — from holding her in a glider all night to rocking her in a bouncer until the wee hours of the morning.

But just because your baby nods off in your arms — or in a bouncer, or car seat, or swing — doesn’t mean she should sleep there all night. In fact, babies should only sleep alone, on their backs and in either a crib, playard, or bassinet or bedside sleeper that meets the latest federal safety standards, according to the newly updated safe sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

These guidelines come at a critical time. In May 2022, the Safe Sleep for Babies Act was signed into law, banning bumper pads and inclined sleepers — two products that have been associated with dozens of infant deaths — from being manufactured and sold in the U.S.

It can also be extremely dangerous for babies to sleep in other devices, including bouncers, swings and rockers. In June 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPS) warned parents not to let their babies sleep in rockers, citing at least 13 infant deaths that have been linked with the Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers.

A federal safety standard from the CSPS, which will take effect later this summer, will ensure that any baby product marketed for sleep will have to meet the same standards that are already in place for cribs, bassinets, playards and bedside sleepers, says Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., FAAP, a spokesperson for the AAP.

With so many baby products on the market — some of which were marketed to help your baby fall and stay asleep — it’s no wonder parents are confused about which ones are safe and which ones aren’t.

Here’s your guide to knowing which places and products are safe to lay your sleeping baby.

First, a quick refresher: Here safe sleep rules to follow, according to the latest sleep guidelines from the AAP.

Cribs, playards, and bassinets and bedside sleepers are all safe places for your baby to sleep — if you’re using the right ones and following a few safe-sleep rules, that is.

You should always try to buy newer sleep products wherever possible, for example, since they’re more likely to conform to the current standards issued by the CPSC, and you should never put your baby to sleep with any loose bedding, toys or stuffed animals.

Any time you inherit baby gear from a friend or family member, check the CPSC’s website to make sure it hasn’t been recalled.

New cribs can be expensive, but they’re also a lot safer than a hand-me-down. Older models — particularly those sold before 2011, when the CPSC issued strict standards for all crib manufacturers — may not meet the current safety requirements for cribs. They may also be damaged, missing parts or assembled incorrectly.

New crib models are no longer allowed to have drop-down sides, for example, and must also have more durable mattress supports, secure hardware that won’t fall off and stronger wooden slats.

The crib should also be empty — never put a pillow, blanket or even a teddy bear in the crib with your baby, since loose bedding or plush toys can be a suffocation hazard. You should also never use bumper pads, which are now banned for sale in the U.S., or other similar products that attach to the crib slats or sides.

Many babies sleep in a bassinet before they spend all night in a crib. Newer bassinets — including traditional freestanding models, bedside sleepers, travel bassinets and sleep bassinets — must also meet strict safety standards from the CPSC, so try to avoid using a hand-me-down.

Bassinets’ sides, for example, tend to be made of mesh material that help guard against suffocation, and have to meet certain stability requirements that prevent them from tipping over. When you choose a model, make sure it has a firm mattress and tight-fitting mattress sheet. And don’t put anything in the bassinet with your baby — no loose bedding, blankets, pillows or plush toys.

Remember, though, that bassinets come with weight limits — sometimes anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds — so you may have to transition your baby to a crib within a few months. You should also transition to a crib once your baby starts rolling.

Playards are the Swiss Army knives of baby gear — they can double as cribs, travel just about anywhere and are great for play. And, just like cribs and bassinets, newer playard models have to meet strict safety standards by the CPSC — the sides must be made of mesh or fabric, the mattress has to be secure and the floors have to be sturdy.

The same safe sleep rules apply to playards, too — if you’re using one of these products for sleep, don’t put any toys, loose bedding, mattress toppers or pillows in them.

Babies should only sleep on a firm, flat surface, according to the AAP’s latest guidelines. Any sleep product that inclines more than 10 degrees isn’t safe for a baby to sleep in. So while it’s perfectly fine for your little one to bounce in her bouncer or rock in her rocker, she should only do so if she’s being carefully watched.

“If they do fall asleep,” says Dr. Goodstein, “the recommendation is to remove them to an appropriate sleep environment.”

Inclined sleepers — products designed for babies to sleep at a 30-degree angle — have been linked to at least 94 deaths, according to the AAP, which is why they’re now prohibited for sale in the U.S. Babies who are placed in these sleepers can fall asleep with their chin resting on their chest, restricting their airway, or can be trapped when they roll from their stomach to their side while unrestrained. “The bigger the incline, the riskier it gets,” says Dr. Goodstein.

Many sleepers have been recalled, but they’re still available second-hand. If you bought one of these products at a garage sale or inherited it from a friend, stop using it right away.

Baby swings are what they sound like — small products that rock back and forth, which can soothe (or just entertain) your little one. One thing they aren’t designed for, though, is sleep. Putting babies, especially those younger than 4 months, to sleep in a sitting position can not only worsen their reflux, but can also make it harder for them to breathe.

Always make sure your baby is carefully supervised during her swing session. If your child does fall asleep in her swing, take her out of it and place her on her back in either a crib, bassinet or playard.

Bouncers — also called bouncy chairs or bouncy seats — are fabric seats that feature three- or five-point harness straps and toy bars. Some of them also play music, vibrate and swing back and forth. Bouncers are perfectly fine for your baby to play in (as long as she’s supervised), but their inclined seats make them unsafe for sleep. So if your child nods off in one (a likely scenario), move her to a safe sleep environment for the rest of her catnap.

Similar to a bouncer, a rocker is a fabric seat that can rock back and forth. They feature three- or five-point harness straps, and many also feature a toy bar where you can dangle plush toys for your baby to play with and grab.

Rockers aren’t, however, a safe place for your baby to sleep, since the inclined seats can put them at risk for suffocation. In June 2022, the CPSC warned parents of the risks of letting babies fall asleep in the Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers, which have been linked to at least 13 deaths between 2009 and 2021. You should only put your baby in a rocker if she’s supervised — and if she does fall asleep in it, move her to a flat, safe surface: a crib, bassinet or playard. Rockers should never be used for sleep.

Slings and carriers can range from long swaths of fabric that wrap around your body to structured, backpack-like carriers that come with buckles and straps. And there’s no denying that, whether you’re on the go or just in the kitchen, they can help keep your baby close — without straining your back.

Babies who fall asleep in slings or carriers, however, are at risk for suffocation, according to the AAP, so if your little one falls asleep while she’s in one, take her out and place her on her back in a crib, bassinet or playard.

Also called sleep positioners, baby nests and pods can pose a suffocation hazard for babies if they roll onto their stomachs and onto the soft padding, where they can be unable to lift their heads and breathe. You shouldn’t let your baby sleep in a nest or pod, or leave her in one unsupervised.

Sharing a bed with your baby is dangerous. Not only can babies get trapped or wedged between the mattress and headboard or underneath a blanket or pillow, but you could also roll onto them (especially if you’re sleep deprived), increasing the risk of suffocation. Bed- or surface-sharing is linked to an increase in risk of SIDS — and this link goes up two to five times if your baby was born premature or with low birth weight.

If you have to take your baby out of her crib to feed or comfort her, always put her on her back in her own crib to fall asleep — and before you fall asleep.

Never put your baby to sleep on a couch or armchair. Babies who sleep in a couch or armchair could suffocate if they become trapped between the seat cushions or a person who may be holding them or sitting next to them.

Many a parent has taken their little one on a midnight drive to soothe them to sleep — especially when nothing else has worked. But while a car seat is certainly the safest place for your child in the car — and fine for short stretches of sleep — it’s not the safest place for them to sleep for long periods, says Dr. Goodstein.

Not only is a car seat set at an incline, he says, but if the straps are loose, babies can also become tangled up, causing strangulation. Babies who can flip over may also roll into a side position if they aren’t buckled in correctly; if they get trapped in the padding of the car seat, they may not be able to breathe fresh air, which can cause asphyxiation.

Strollers also shouldn’t be used as regular sleep spaces for long stretches for time, and for similar reasons — many of them are also set at an incline, which can increase a baby’s risk of breathing difficulties. Plus, you want to put your baby to sleep in an open space, says Dr. Goodstein. “You don’t want them to bump against anything padded,” he says.

It’s okay if your baby falls asleep in her car seat or stroller if you’re on the go, but move her to a safe space when you’re able.

Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners.