Infant Safe Sleep Monitoring and SIDS Prevention Check
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and SUID (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death) remain leading causes of death for infants under 12 months in the United States. Childcare settings where infants sleep are particularly high-risk environments. This monitoring checklist implements AAP and CDC safe sleep guidelines with the frequency required by most state childcare licensing regulations.
- Industry: Childcare and Education
- Frequency: Per sleep period (every 15-30 minutes monitoring)
- Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes per check
- Role: Infant Room Caregiver
- Total Items: 28
Sleep Environment Preparation
Inspect each infant sleep space before placing infants to sleep.
- All cribs have firm, flat mattress with tight-fitting sheet only?
- No soft objects in crib: no pillows, bumpers, blankets, positioners, or toys?
- No inclined sleepers, swings, bouncers, or car seats used for scheduled sleep?
- Room temperature comfortable (68-72°F) to prevent overheating?
- All cribs meet current CPSC/ASTM standards (not recalled, not antique, no drop-side)?
Infant Sleep Placement
Document infant placement practices.
- All infants placed on their BACK to sleep (not side or stomach)?
- Any infant with physician order for non-back positioning has written authorization on file?
- Each infant sleeping in their own designated crib (not crib sharing)?
- Infants dressed in appropriate-weight sleep clothing only?
- Pacifier use consistent with facility policy and parent preference?
Active Sleep Monitoring (Every 15-30 Minutes)
Document sleep monitoring checks during this period.
- All sleeping infants observed for breathing and color?
- Face of each sleeping infant visible to monitoring caregiver?
- No sleeping infants rolled to prone position and left without repositioning?
- Any apnea monitor alarms responded to immediately?
- Assigned monitoring caregiver awake and alert throughout sleep period?
Supervised Tummy Time (Awake Only)
Document supervised tummy time during awake periods.
- Supervised tummy time provided during awake periods today?
- Infants NEVER placed prone for sleep (tummy time is awake-only)?
- Staff directly supervising all tummy time activity?
- Tummy time duration increasing appropriately with infant age and ability?
Parent Communication on Safe Sleep
Verify parents are informed of safe sleep practices.
- Safe sleep policy shared with all new parents at enrollment?
- Any parent requests that conflict with safe sleep guidelines addressed with director?
- Safe sleep education resources provided to parents as needed?
- Daily sleep information (times, duration) shared with parents at pickup?
Emergency Response Readiness
Verify emergency response capability for infant sleeping areas.
- CPR-certified caregiver present in infant room at all times?
- Emergency response plan for infant unresponsiveness known by all staff?
- Emergency numbers including poison control posted in infant room?
- AED accessible and staff trained to use?
- Incident report forms accessible for any sleep-related health events?
Related Childcare Education Checklists
- Infant Room Daily Environment and Safety Inspection
- Infant Feeding Program Compliance Log
- Infant Feeding Schedule and Nutrition Log
- Infant Diapering and Sanitation Protocol Inspection
- Child Protection and Abuse Prevention Policy Compliance Check
- Childcare Staff Background Check Compliance Audit
- Childcare Mandated Reporter Compliance Checklist
- Childcare Playground Daily Safety Inspection
Related Infant Care Checklists
- Infant Room Safe Sleep Daily Check - FREE Download
- Infant Daily Feeding and Diaper Log - FREE Download
- Infant Care Room Environment Safety Check - FREE Download
- Infant Developmental Milestone Tracking Checklist - FREE Download
- Infant Room Staff Ratio and Supervision Check - FREE Download
- Infant Room Daily Environment and Safety Inspection - FREE Download
- Infant Feeding Program Compliance Log - FREE Download
- Infant Feeding Schedule and Nutrition Log - FREE Download
- Infant Diapering and Sanitation Protocol Inspection - FREE Download
- Infant Room Monthly Safety and Compliance Inspection - FREE Download
Why Use This Infant Safe Sleep Monitoring and SIDS Prevention Check?
This infant safe sleep monitoring and sids prevention check helps childcare and education teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for infant room caregiver professionals, this checklist covers 28 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: per sleep period (every 15-30 minutes monitoring).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Infant Safe Sleep Monitoring and SIDS Prevention Check cover?
This checklist covers 28 inspection items across 6 sections: Sleep Environment Preparation, Infant Sleep Placement, Active Sleep Monitoring (Every 15-30 Minutes), Supervised Tummy Time (Awake Only), Parent Communication on Safe Sleep, Emergency Response Readiness. It is designed for childcare and education operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed per sleep period (every 15-30 minutes monitoring). Each completion takes approximately 5-10 minutes per check.
Who should use this Infant Safe Sleep Monitoring and SIDS Prevention Check?
This checklist is designed for Infant Room Caregiver professionals in the childcare and education industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.