{"id":"216d5bc97126f00f9d3c8a338338cdaf","slug":"can-i-use-a-blanket-to-prop-up-my-5-month-olds-crib-mattress-at-an-angle-to-reduce-reflux-during-sleep","question":"Can I use a blanket to prop up my 5-month-old's crib mattress at an angle to reduce reflux during sleep?","answer":"No — angling the mattress isn't safe for your 5-month-old, and it won't effectively manage reflux anyway.\n\nWhen a crib mattress is tilted, even slightly, it creates an inclined sleep surface. Research shows that babies sleeping on inclines have approximately 5 times the risk of sudden unexpected infant death compared to flat, firm surfaces — and that risk is particularly high for babies 4 months and older, which includes your son or daughter right now. A blanket propping up the mattress doesn't make it safer; it's still an incline.\n\nThe safest approach is keeping the mattress completely flat. If reflux is affecting your baby's sleep or comfort, talk with your pediatrician about other options — medication, feeding position adjustments when awake, or timing of feeds — that don't involve changing the sleep surface itself. Your pediatrician can help you find strategies that address the reflux without compromising safety.\n\nCall your pediatrician if your baby shows signs of severe reflux (frequent vomiting after feeds, refusing feeds, or not gaining weight as expected), or seek urgent care if your baby has difficulty breathing or extreme distress during sleep.","sources":"[{\"pmid\":\"39135049\",\"title\":\"The risk of sleep-related death in an inclined sleep environment.\",\"journal\":\"BMC public health\",\"year\":\"2024\",\"url\":\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39135049/\",\"score\":0.73}]","thread_json":null,"topic":"safe-sleep-environments","view_count":0,"created_at":"2026-09-05T23:01:14.858Z"}