We are committed to providing the safest care for your newborn. We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for supporting and promoting a safe sleep environment.
The Safest Sleep Environment for Your Newborn
During your hospital stay:
- Your baby can snuggle with you skin-to-skin when you are awake, then sleep in a nearby crib for safety if you feel sleepy and need to rest
- We place all babies on their backs in a crib with a firm mattress
- Stuffed animals, pillows, fluffy blankets and other soft bedding will be kept out of your baby's bed
- We wrap babies in swaddle sacks instead of clothing and blankets
- Swaddle sacks will enhance infant security by visually identifying your baby as a patient
- At discharge, we'll give you a free, brand-new UVA Health Children's swaddle sack to use at home
We'll also give you information on how to provide a safe sleep environment for your newborn at home.
Infant Sleep
Find out more about:
- National guidelines for a baby's safe sleep
- How you can help your infant learn to sleep