The first step to preventing SIDS and other sleep-related deaths is to understand and utilize the most up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations for safe infant sleep.
ABCs of Safe Infant Sleep
Every year, approximately 3,500 infants in the U.S. die from SIDS. That’s why it is so important to practice the ABCs of safe infant sleep during baby’s first year of life. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, relative, friend, babysitter, or childcare provider who is caring for an infant, they are counting on you to keep them safe. Put baby to sleep Alone on his or her Back in a safety-approved Crib.
Alone - Put baby to sleep alone in a crib or bassinet to reduce their risk of SIDS. That means no other people, pets, toys, bumpers, pillows or blankets in the crib with them. It is the safest way for babies to sleep.
Back - Did you know babies that sleep on their backs are less likely to die from SIDS than those that sleep on their sides or stomachs? Practice safe infant sleep by putting baby to sleep on their back up to 1 year of age.
Crib - Keep baby in a crib or bassinet with a firm mattress and tight fitted sheet to reduce their risk of SIDS. Never put baby to sleep on adult beds, couches, air mattresses, waterbeds, pillows, or in devices such as swings, bouncy chairs, infant carriers, or car seats.
Millions of babies across the country attend child care, which makes child care providers invaluable allies for championing infant safe sleep. Child care providers can make sure that all babies in their care sleep in a safe environment and they can help share guidelines and recommended practices with the families they serve. These two resources can help empower child-care providers as safe sleep champions.
This interactive E-handout helps families learn about safe sleep practices. Health professionals can sit with families and click through the pages where they’ll find different sleep scenes and environments. A series of prompts and pop-ups show what is and is not safe and inspire learning conversations. Families can also access the handout at home and use it to teach their friends and families about safe sleep.
These two resources can support state and community efforts to eliminate sleep-related infant deaths:
Literature Review of Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Safe Sleep Practices: The review examines literature and analyses of current evidence-based safe sleep practice guidelines, policies and initiatives that provide health care provider training and modeling; increase infant caregiver knowledge and education; and promote safe sleep polices at the local, state and federal level.
Promising Practices for Safe Sleep: This resource identifies state and national emerging and promising practices to promote safe sleep in states and communities.
Both resources were developed in collaboration with the Missouri Safe Sleep Coalition to inform the Missouri Safe Sleep Strategic Plan.
