To parents of a newborn, few things are scarier than Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, better known as SIDS. SIDS claims over 2,000 lives per year in the US, and while it's still a poorly-understood condition, the science is much clearer than it was even a few years ago. At 5 Little Monkeys, our mission is to help kids everywhere experience the life-changing power of healthy sleep, and beyond our parent-approved kids mattress, we strive to be a comprehensive resource for all things related to children's sleep. So if you've recently been blessed with a newborn, here are a few essential tips for safer sleep.

6 Tips to Prevent SIDS

SIDS is a terrifying condition, but research has uncovered a number of best practices that can drastically reduce your child's risk. Here are 6 easy tips to keep your baby safe during sleep:

• Keep Everything Out of the Crib: It may seem like a blanket or favorite toy would be a comfort that helps a child sleep, but the presence of blankets, pillows, and other objects in a crib increase the risk of SIDS. Make sure that when your baby sleeps, they're the only thing in the crib.
• Use a Tight-Fitting Sheet on a Firm Mattress: Soft, fluffy mattresses and blankets can be a suffocation risk. Accordingly, you should always use a firm mattress in your crib and cover it with a tight fitted sheet over it.
• Sleep On the Back: Another easy mistake is to let babies sleep on their front or side. It's ok if your baby starts flipping over in their sleep after a few months, but they should always start out sleeping on their back.
• Use the Right PJs: If it's cool and you want to give your little one some insulation, make sure you use a wearable sleep sack that's specifically designed for babies.
• Keep It Cool: The risk for SIDS increases when a baby gets too hot, so make sure to keep them cool with a specialized nursery fan.
• Check Your Crib Slats: Before buying a crib, make sure the slats are no wider than 2 3/8". This is the minimum closeness needed to prevent your child's head from getting stuck between the slats.

Order Our Mattress for Children

These tips are an easy way to minimize your child's risk of SIDS and keep them safe as they grow through the first year of life. But as your child grows up and graduates to a big-kid bed, it's important they have a children's mattress that properly supports their growing body. The 5 Little Monkeys bed is specifically designed to give kids' bodies what they need for healthy, restful sleep, and we're so confident in our kids' mattress we'll let you try it with a money-back guarantee. So what are you waiting for? Take the 100-Night Rest Test and try the best mattress for kids today!