Infant Safe Sleep/SIDS
Before going to child care

If you plan to enroll your infant in child care make sure that the place you are considering is licensed by the state of North Carolina. Licensed childcare providers are taking important steps to be informed about SIDS and are working to help your baby sleep safely. North Carolina has important legal and licensing requirements designed to reduce the risks of SIDS in childcare settings.

Know the Law

North Carolina law and childcare licensing rules require that:

• Babies 12 months of age or younger be placed on their back to sleep. A waiver may apply under certain circumstances.
• Childcare providers must have a written safe sleep policy and must explain it to parents before the baby is enrolled.
• Providers must attend the Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction in Child Care (ITS-SIDS) training.

Prepare for Child Care

Help prepare your baby by making sleep time in child care easier:

• Teach your baby to sleep on his or her back from the beginning
• Use a crib, bassinet or playpen instead of a car seat, swing or infant carrier as a sleeping place
• Allow your baby to comfort himself instead of teaching him or her to depend on a stuffed animal or blanket as a comfort aid when falling asleep
• Talk with the childcare provider about your baby's sleep patterns and sleep safety
• Give your awake baby tummy time for exercise, for play and for healthy development
• For ideas on how to make your baby's awake tummy time interactive and fun, download your copy of See How We Grow (If this piece downloads too slowly, try the plain text version.)

Ask Your Caregiver

When considering a childcare provider ask if the childcare provider is ITS-SIDS certified and look for the ITS-SIDS symbol. Ask to see the provider's "Safe Sleep" policy.

You can read the Safe Sleep Rules for Caregivers (PDF 344 KB) to see how caregivers are helping keep babies safer while they sleep and the steps they are taking to keep SIDS from happening. (If the download time is too long, try theSafe Sleep Rules for Caregivers plain text version)

Other Links

North Carolina

National

HEALTHYCHILDREN.ORG a new parenting Web site from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).  The site includes general information related to child health plus more specific guidance on parenting issues and is promoted as "the only parenting Web site backed by 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults." 

Consumer Product Safety Commission - Information about safe bedding practices for infants

Danny Foundation - For crib and child product safety information, visit this Web site or call toll-free 1-800-833-2669 (1-800-83DANNY)

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Last updated: May 2014