Infant Blanket Safety
No, infants should not use blankets in their sleep environment—loose blankets pose significant risks of suffocation, entrapment, and SIDS, and wearable blankets (sleep sacks) should be used instead to keep infants warm. 1
The Evidence Against Loose Bedding
The American Academy of Pediatrics explicitly recommends keeping soft objects and loose bedding, including blankets, away from the infant's sleep area to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation. 1 This recommendation is based on clear evidence:
- Loose bedding can obstruct an infant's nose and mouth, creating a risk of suffocation, entrapment, or SIDS 1
- Blankets and other soft bedding (quilts, comforters, sheepskins, nonfitted sheets) should not be placed in the infant's sleep area 1
- Even when covered by a sheet, soft materials should not be placed under or around a sleeping infant 1
The Safe Alternative: Wearable Blankets
Infant sleep clothing, such as a wearable blanket (sleep sack), is preferable to blankets and other coverings to keep the infant warm while reducing the chance of head covering or entrapment that could result from blanket use. 1
This recommendation applies throughout the first year of life and represents the safest approach to maintaining infant warmth during sleep. 1
Additional Critical Sleep Safety Measures
To create a comprehensive safe sleep environment:
- Place infants on their back on a firm, flat sleep surface (crib, bassinet, or play yard that meets CPSC safety standards) 1, 2, 3
- Use only a fitted sheet on the mattress—no other bedding 1
- Room-sharing without bed-sharing is recommended, with the infant's sleep surface in the parents' bedroom 1
- Avoid overheating: dress the infant in no more than one layer more than an adult would wear to be comfortable in that environment 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Parents often make these dangerous mistakes:
- Bed-sharing with soft bedding accessories like pillows or blankets increases SIDS risk substantially 1
- Using blankets "just for warmth" without recognizing suffocation risk—this is why wearable blankets exist 1
- Placing blankets in the crib "away from the baby's face"—infants move during sleep and can become entangled 1
- Thinking older cribs with bumper pads and blankets are acceptable—these practices are now known to be dangerous 1
The Mortality Data
Approximately 3,500 infants die annually in the United States from sleep-related deaths, including SIDS, accidental suffocation, and strangulation. 4, 5 Unsafe sleep practices, including soft bedding in the sleep environment, are modifiable risk factors for these deaths. 6 Death-scene investigations have found that head or face covering by bedding occurred in 29.4% of sudden infant deaths, and only 8.4% of deaths involved infants found in completely safe sleep conditions. 7
The evidence is unequivocal: loose blankets have no place in an infant's sleep environment, and wearable blankets provide the safe alternative for warmth. 1