I was thrilled to receive a first look at my co-worker’s precious baby after chatting with her at length in the months leading up to his recent birth.

My joy at seeing the baby was immediately tempered, however, by the sight of a pillow and a cushy blanket underneath him in the bassinet. Why should this worry me? A recent report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission explains it best.

Between 2003 and 2005—the latest for which the most complete data are available—the majority of infant deaths associated with cribs and mattresses were attributed to bedding that often suffocated a child. Perhaps my coworker only had those items in her child’s bassinet to prop him up for the photo, but they’re not safe for a child’s sleep time. (See CPSC’s safe sleep guidelines.)

The same was true in play yards, in which the majority of infant deaths were due to strangulation, suffocation, or asphyxia when the child became wedged between the mattress and side of the play yard. More than half of the wedging incidents involved an extra mattress or cushion added to the play yard. (See play yard safety tips.) The majority of bassinet and cradle deaths were also caused by bedding that suffocates infants—similar to the kind of bedding that my co-worker had in her baby’s bassinet.

Bottom line: Bare is best when it comes to an infant’s sleep space. A bare crib, bassinet, or play yard with only a fitted sheet (that's tight-fitting) is the safest way for a baby to sleep—no pillows, blankets, sleep positioners, bumpers, or other soft bedding. Also see our safe sleep tips for more information.

--Artemis DiBenedetto, Web associate editor