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Safe Sleep – Cribs and Infant Products Information Center

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New baby in the house or one on the way? Find out how to give your baby a safe place to sleep. 

Inclined Sleeper Safety Information

​​​​​Questions and Answers About Safe Sleep

CPSC Research Into Inclined Sleeper Safety

  • CPSC received reports of 1,108 incidents, including 73 infant deaths, related to infant inclined sleep products that occurred from January 2005 through June 2019. CPSC hired independent expert Erin Mannen, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer specializing in biomechanics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, to conduct infant testing to evaluate the design of inclined sleep products.
  • Dr. Mannen found that none of the inclined sleep products her team tested is safe for infant sleep. 
  • Dr. Mannen’s report was conclusive that products with inclines 10 degrees or less, with flat and rigid surfaces, are likely safe for infant sleep. Dr. Mannen also found that soft and plush-like sleep surfaces pose dangers to infants. Read the full report from Dr. Mannen beginning on page 91 of CPSC staff's Commission Briefing Package.
  • Read Dr. Mannen’s report with corrected pages here

Inclined Sleeper Recalls

Learn How to Put Your Baby to Sleep Safely

If you just had a baby, are expecting, or are taking care of a young infant it's important to create a safe sleep environment for your baby. Because babies spend much of their time sleeping, the nursery should be the safest room in the house. Take a few moments to learn about safe sleep.

 

Bare is Best

With any crib, bassinet or play yard, follow a few simple rules to keep babies sleeping safely. Bare is Best!

• To prevent suffocation, never place pillows or thick quilts in a baby's sleep environment.

• Make sure there are no gaps larger than two fingers between the sides of the crib and the mattress.

• Proper assembly of cribs is paramount - Follow the instructions provided and make sure that every part is installed correctly. If you are not sure, call the manufacturer for assistance.

• Do not use cribs older than 10 years or broken or modified cribs. Infants can strangle to death if their bodies pass through gaps between loose components or broken slats while their heads remain entrapped.

• Set up play yards properly according to manufacturers' directions. Only use the mattress pad provided with the play yard; do not add extra padding.

• Never place a crib near a window with blind, curtain cords or baby monitor cords; babies can strangle on cords.

For more information please visit the Safe to Sleep® public education campaign led by The Eunice Kennedy  Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of  Health (NIH) and in collaboration with other organizations.