Here's how to make your infants sleep safer

A new study shows that suffocation deaths for infants less than a year old have increased 185 percent since 1999. Approximately 1,100 infant deaths per year could be avoided if parents were more aware of the risks.

Instances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Deaths are decreasing over time which is great news, but it could be that unsafe sleep environments are contributing to the dramatically rising numbers of suffocation deaths.

What are suffocation hazards that parents need to be aware of?

Newborns should be kept in their parents rooms for at least six months, and hopefully up to 12 months when the risk of SIDS goes down. Co-sleeping may be one of the reasons suffocation deaths are rising.

Co-sleeping is where the parent may bring the infant into bed with them. At night, the parent may roll over, the pillow or bedding may move and the infant cannot roll over or move and the infant dies. Or, if the infant is in a bassinet, pack and play or crib next to the bed, parents may put in a blanket, teddy bear, or the bumpers on the sides of the crib. These are all things that the infant can get tangled in and suffocate to death.

Recommendations change quickly. It is always important to talk about safe sleep environments with anyone who cares for your infant. Suffocation deaths can happen at night, but they can also happen during the day during nap-time.

It is so important to talk about ways to prevent this with parents, grandparents, caretakers, in and out-of home daycare staff etc.

Things you can do to make your infant's sleep safer:

1. Don't bring your infant into bed with you. Everyone is exhausted with an infant in the house who is not sleeping. But, breastfeeding and letting the infant lay in your bed could lead to his/her death.

2. Have a safe sleeping place for your infant. Put them in the room with you. Make sure there is NOTHING else in the crib/pack and play etc. Have a hard surface for them to sleep on. Remove the bumpers on the crib. The bumpers may look pretty, but are a potential suffocation hazard. Nothing else should be in the crib (including stuffed animals, pillows, blankets etc.).
3. If it's cooler, put them in a sleep sack. No blankets. Swaddling is OK until 2 months of age, or until the infant can roll over.
4. Back to sleep. Never put an infant to sleep on their stomach. Always lay the infant on his/her back for sleep time.
5. Check in with daycare providers or anyone who may care for your child to make sure they know what a safe sleep environment is. Make sure you follow the same rules for bed-time and nap-time for your infant.

© 2018 KUSA

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