Your baby needs very little to sleep safely: a crib or bassinet that meets your country's safety standard, a firm, flat mattress that fits, a fitted sheet, and your baby on their back. Most products to avoid break one of those basics. They tilt your baby on an angle, cushion them in something soft, hold them in one position, or add weight on top of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Red Nose in Australia and the Lullaby Trust in the UK all advise against the same core list, and the US has banned two of them outright. No gadget, monitor or special mattress has been shown to prevent SIDS.
What makes a baby sleep product unsafe?
Three words cover it: firm, flat and clear.
- Firm: the Lullaby Trust's product guide says your baby's head shouldn't sink into the mattress by more than a few millimetres.
- Flat: no tilt, raised edges or cushioned areas, especially around the head.
- Clear: the AAP's safe sleep guide says to use a fitted sheet only, with nothing else in the crib.
Soft or angled surfaces are risky because babies can't always move out of a position that blocks their breathing. Australia's Red Nose explains that on an incline a baby's head can tip into a chin-to-chest position that can partly or fully block their airway.
The Lullaby Trust also points out that a safety standard mostly checks construction, chemicals and fire safety. It doesn't test whether a product raises or lowers the risk of SIDS.
Quick list: baby sleep products to avoid
| Product | Main concern | Who advises against |
|---|---|---|
| Inclined sleepers | Head drops forward, airway blocked | AAP, CPSC, Australia's Red Nose |
| Rockers, bouncers, swings | Chin-to-chest position | AAP, Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust |
| Weighted sacks, swaddles, blankets | Breathing, overheating, head covering | AAP, Lullaby Trust |
| Positioners and wedges | Trapping; no proven benefit | AAP, Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust |
| Nests, pods, loungers | Soft sides, suffocation | AAP, Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust, NHS |
| Nursing pillows | Suffocation | AAP, Australia's Red Nose |
| Crib bumpers | Suffocation, entanglement | AAP, CPSC, Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust, NHS |
| Pillows, duvets, comforters | Suffocation, overheating | AAP, Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust, NHS |
| Extra-soft mattresses | Suffocation, trapping | AAP, Lullaby Trust |
| Hammocks | Curved position, falls | Australia's Red Nose, Lullaby Trust |
| Car seats outside the car | Not designed for sleep | AAP, Australia's Red Nose, NHS, Unicef UK |
The sections below explain each one.
Why are inclined sleepers, rockers and swings unsafe for sleep?
Rules differ by country, but the advice is the same: no sleeping on a slope.
- United States: the Safe Sleep for Babies Act bans the sale, manufacture and import of inclined sleepers for infants, defined as products with a sleep surface inclined more than 10 degrees and meant for babies up to 1 year old. The ban took effect on 12 November 2022 and applies regardless of when a product was made. The AAP's list of items to avoid says these sleepers can cause a baby's head to slump forward or sideways, which may cut off their air supply.
- Australia: Red Nose says products inclined more than 7 degrees are not considered safe for infant sleep and do not meet the mandatory safety standards for infant sleep products. It names bouncinettes, bouncers, rockers and hammocks. Citing the ACCC, it reports that 151 infants died in inclined products in Australia between 2001 and 2021.
- UK: the Lullaby Trust advises against letting babies sleep in anything that keeps them seated or inclined, including bouncy chairs, swings and baby beanbags.
Inclined products are often marketed for reflux or settling. Australia's Red Nose says there is little evidence for that, and warns that a baby who rolls on an incline can suffocate against the soft base or padded side, that harnesses add a risk of entrapment and strangulation, and that babies can fall out. Swings and bouncers are fine for short, supervised play while your baby is awake. If your baby falls asleep in one, move them to a flat crib or bassinet.
Are weighted sleep sacks, swaddles and blankets safe?
No. The AAP says not to use weighted blankets, sleepers, swaddles or other weighted objects on or near your baby, and not to put weighted items such as rice bags inside a swaddle. Its registry guide says weighted sleep blankets can make it harder for your baby to breathe and can trap them.
The Lullaby Trust says weighted swaddles, blankets and sleep sacks are not recommended for babies under one year because of the risk of overheating and head covering. It also warns more broadly against products that claim to help babies sleep longer or more deeply than is usual for their age, because that may affect their ability to wake if something is wrong, such as their mouth and nose becoming covered.
A standard, non-weighted sleep sack that fits well around the shoulders, with no hood, is a safer choice. See dressing your baby for sleep and swaddling.
What about sleep positioners, wedges, nests, pods and loungers?
These all hold a baby in place or surround them with something soft.
- Positioners and wedges: the AAP says babies can get trapped against the side of the crib, and there's no evidence positioners prevent SIDS. Australia's Red Nose doesn't recommend anti-roll devices or anything that fastens a baby into a sleeping position, noting there are no Australian Standards for them and that case studies have found them to be unsafe. The Lullaby Trust says babies shouldn't sleep on any surface that straps or holds them in one position.
- Nests and pods: the Lullaby Trust says soft materials can cover a baby's mouth and nose and cause overheating, and there's no British standard for pods or nests as a sleeping place. The NHS advises against anything to keep your baby in place, like pods or nests. Australia's Red Nose's visual safe sleep guide lists nests and in-crib sleeping devices as unsafe.
- Loungers and nursing pillows: the AAP says padded loungers can cause suffocation and babies can roll off the soft edges, and to never use nursing pillows with sleeping babies. Australia's Red Nose lists breastfeeding pillows as unsafe for sleep.
Are crib bumpers, pillows and soft bedding really a problem?
Yes. The US ban on crib bumpers covers padded bumpers, vinyl bumper guards and vertical slat covers. Non-padded mesh liners aren't covered by the ban, but the AAP still says they aren't necessary and can suffocate or trap a sleeping child.
The Lullaby Trust says bumpers have caused accidents when babies became entangled in the ties or material, or pulled themselves up on them. It says duvets, crib quilts and pillows have been shown to increase the risk of SIDS and aren't recommended under one year. Australia's Red Nose's visual guide lists comforters, lambswool, pillows, crib bumpers and toys as unsafe in a crib.
The AAP also warns against extra-plush mattresses sold separately from cribs and bassinets, because the softness can suffocate or trap a baby. Australia's Red Nose says never to add extra mattresses or bedding to the sleep space.
Can babies sleep in hammocks, car seats, strollers or slings?
Hammocks: Australia's Red Nose says there's no Australian standard for baby hammocks, that the curved position may flex a baby's neck forward and block their airway, and that falls are a risk. It cites two infant deaths in hammocks in the US in 2009 and one in Victoria in 2011. The Lullaby Trust says hammocks aren't a firm, flat surface.
Car seats: the AAP says infant car seats aren't made for sleep outside your vehicle. Unicef UK says car seats should only be used for transport, for up to two hours at a time, and that your baby should be taken out and laid flat as soon as you arrive. It says it's okay for your baby to fall asleep in a car seat while traveling. See car seat safety.
Strollers: the Lullaby Trust says babies should be completely flat if they sleep in a stroller, not just reclined. Australia's Red Nose advises against covering a stroller, as it can cause overheating and blocks your view of your baby.
Slings: Unicef UK suggests following the TICKS guide: tight, in view at all times, close enough to kiss, keep chin off the chest, supported back. The AAP says to move a baby who falls asleep in a sling, swing or car seat to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as possible.
Do baby monitors or "anti-SIDS" products prevent SIDS?
No product has been shown to.
- The AAP says don't use home cardiorespiratory monitors to reduce the risk of SIDS. Consumer wellness devices don't have to meet the same requirements as medical devices, and there's no evidence they reduce SIDS risk.
- Australia's Red Nose says there's no scientific evidence that any type of monitor prevents sudden unexpected infant death. An audio or video monitor can reassure you, and health professionals sometimes provide monitors in special circumstances, such as after a previous loss.
- The Lullaby Trust says claims that a product reduces the risk of SIDS are almost always not true, and that there are no rules testing whether a product changes SIDS risk.
What does lower the risk is free: back sleeping, a clear crib, a smoke-free home and sharing a room for at least the first 6 months. See safe sleep and bed-sharing.
How can you check a product before you buy or borrow it?
- Look for the standard. Red Nose's visual guide says cribs should meet Australian Standard AS/NZS 2172 and portable cribs AS/NZS 2195. In the UK, the Lullaby Trust advises checking for British Safety Standards; in the US, the AAP says not to use a product that doesn't meet federal safety standards.
- Ignore sleep claims. The Lullaby Trust lists claims to be wary of: helping a baby sleep longer or deeper, "breathable" or temperature-regulating, "safe or safer", preventing flat head, and reducing SIDS.
- Check second-hand items carefully. Australia's Red Nose says second-hand cribs should still meet safety standards if they're under 10 years old, with no missing or loose parts, and the mattress should be firm, clean and fit with no gaps.
- Search for recalls on your national product safety website before using older gear.
- Get the instructions. The Lullaby Trust suggests downloading them from the manufacturer rather than relying on social media videos.
When should you get help?
Call 911 now if your baby has difficulty breathing, has blue, gray or blotchy skin or lips, or is difficult to wake. The NHS guide to serious illness lists these as emergencies.
Act straight away if you find your baby slumped with their chin on their chest in a car seat, bouncer, sling or stroller. Lift them out and lay them flat on their back. If they're struggling to breathe or don't respond normally, call 911.
Talk to your doctor or pediatrician if you've been told your baby needs a special sleep position or product for a medical reason, or if reflux or a flat spot on the head is worrying you. Follow your baby's care team for individual advice.
