Adobe PDF Pub. 5008 (50k) Also available in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic.
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) reminds parents and
caretakers to check that it is "Safe to Sleep" when putting infants bed prevent infant
deaths.
Each year, OCFS issues fatality reports on infants who die as a result of suspected child
abuse or maltreatment. OCFS has identified a disturbing number of fatalities involving the
sleeping arrangements of infants. These involved cases of infants sleeping alone in unsafe
surroundings as well as infants sleeping with other persons, including their parents or
other household members. In an effort to alert parents to the dangers identified in those
cases, OCFS makes the following "Safe to Sleep" recommendations:
- Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, even for naps, unless your doctor tells you differently. This is the safest sleep position for a healthy baby to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Make sure your baby's face and head stay uncovered during sleep. Keep objects away from your baby's mouth and nose. Dressing the baby in sleep clothing will avoid having to use any covering over the baby.
- Check to see that the bedding for your baby is safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a firm sleep surface or a child-safe crib that is free of soft objects of loose bedding that could entrap or smother the baby.
Infants should not be put to sleep on waterbeds, sofas, chairs, or other unstable surfaces. Infants may suffocate if they become wedged between the cushions of a sofa, caught in a bed frame, or caught between a bed frame and the mattress or wall.
- Remove soft, fluffy and loose bedding and stuffed toys from your baby's sleep area.
- Don't let your baby get too warm during sleep. Your baby's room should be at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult.
- Make sure everyone who cares for your baby knows to place your baby on his or her back to sleep. Talk to child care providers, grandparents, babysitters and all caregivers about SIDS risk.
- Do not allow smoking around your baby. Don't smoke before or after the birth of your baby.
- Be careful about sleeping with infants, especially on small surfaces. A small sleeping area and the sharing of that space with one or more adults or siblings increases the risk of the infant becoming entrapped in bedding or smothered during the shifting that may occur during sleep.
- Consider the risks of sleeping with your baby if you've been using alcohol or drugs. Alcohol and drug use may cause deeper sleep that can lead to decreased awareness of the infant and the sleeping environment, thus increasing the risk of overlay or entrapment. Parents on prescription medication are advised to observe warnings and follow directions for taking the medication to avoid co-sleeping mishaps. If parents have any questions about the effects of their prescription medication, they should contact their doctor.
- Take care if you're overtired. Overtiredness may cause parents to fall asleep while holding or breastfeeding their infant, only to have the baby slip beneath them or down into the chair or bed frame. The AAP says mothers who choose to breastfeed their infant in bed should take care regarding such risks. As an alternative to bed sharing, the AAP suggests that parents consider placing the infant's crib near their bed to allow for more convenient breastfeeding, parent contact, and for the return of the infant to the crib after feeding.
Pub. 5008 (01/05)
