SIDS Peak Week: What Parents Need to Know About Infant Sleep Safety

When we talk about SIDS peak week, the time during the first year when the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is highest, typically between 2 and 4 months of age. It’s not a single day—it’s a window. And during this window, simple changes in how your baby sleeps can make all the difference. This isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing what actually works. The American Academy of Pediatrics has spent decades studying this, and their advice is clear: back to sleep, bare crib, no extras. That’s it.

SIDS prevention, a set of evidence-based practices to reduce the risk of unexpected infant death during sleep doesn’t need fancy gadgets or expensive monitors. It needs consistency. A firm mattress. No pillows. No blankets. No stuffed animals. Even a lovey can wait until your baby is over a year old. And while it’s tempting to swaddle tightly or use sleep positioners, those are risks—not solutions. The safest place for your baby to sleep is alone, on their back, in a crib or bassinet with nothing else inside. That’s not outdated advice—it’s science.

Many parents wonder if room-sharing helps. Yes. The baby sleep environment, the physical space where an infant sleeps, including location, bedding, and surrounding objects matters more than you think. Sharing a room—your baby in their own sleep space next to your bed—lowers SIDS risk by up to 50%. But sharing a bed? That increases it. The difference is a bassinet next to your bed versus a pillow next to your baby. One is safe. The other isn’t.

And what about blankets? You want your baby warm, not hot. That’s why breathable baby blankets are recommended—not thick quilts or bumper pads. The infant sleep, the sleep patterns and conditions of babies under one year old, including duration, position, and surroundings you create should feel cool, not cozy in a dangerous way. If your baby’s chest feels sweaty or flushed, they’re too warm. Light cotton is better than fleece. A sleep sack is safer than a blanket.

There’s no magic cure for SIDS. But there are things you can control. And during SIDS peak week, those things matter more than ever. You’re not alone in worrying. Every parent does. But you don’t need to guess what’s safe. The answers are simple, and they’re right here.

Below, you’ll find real advice from parents and pediatricians on how to make your baby’s sleep space truly safe. No fluff. No trends. Just what works—based on what’s been proven over years of research and real-life experience.