Infant sleep guidelines updated for first time since 2016

(CNN) - The American Academy of Pediatrics is updating its sleep guidelines for babies.

Its main message? Co-sleeping under any circumstances is not safe.

The AAP says that while many parents choose to share a bed with their baby to help with breastfeeding or because of cultural preferences, the evidence shows that co-sleeping significantly raises the baby’s risk of injury or death.

The agency said about 3,500 infants die from sleep-related deaths every year in the U.S., many of them from socially disadvantaged communities.

The AAP also says to avoid using incline products or crib decorations.

It recommends parents put babies to sleep alone on a flat firm mattress with a snug fitted sheet, and instead of a blanket, use a swaddle sack.

This is the first update to the AAP’s sleep guidelines since 2016.

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