SIDS: Rethinking safer sleep for babies

Alone. Back. Crib. That's an important ABC for new parents to learn, to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Few possibilities are scarier to parents than the threat of SIDS, when babies die mysteriously in their sleep. What made the tragedy even worse for bereaved parents was its seeming arbitrariness.

According to an NPR investigative report, it turns out, however, that many deaths attributed to SIDS were in fact related to unsafe sleep practices, such as putting a baby to sleep on her stomach or on a soft surface. The city of Baltimore's health department is trying to prevent such unsafe sleep practices through its B'more for Healthy Babies program "Sleep Safe" campaign, which promotes this ABC message of "Alone. Back. Crib."

Following American Academy of Pediatrics policy, "ABC" advises parents to share a room with their young infant, but to be sure that the baby sleeps alone in her own crib and on her back for safe sleep. (See our free cribs buying advice and our crib Ratings, available to subscribers.)

The American Academy of Pediatrics, along with four other pediatric health groups, developed the "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1994 to reduce the incidence of SIDS. It's worked well: there's been a 50% drop in SIDS deaths from 1992 to 2000. Along with sleeping on the back, other recommendations include keeping soft objects like stuffed animals, pillows, quilts and comforters out of the crib; making sure there is no loose bedding in the crib, like blankets or loose sheets; and putting babies in cribs that have only a tight-fitting sheet. Pacifiers may help reduce the risk of SIDS, but you shouldn't force your baby to use it. (Learn more about safe sleep for babies.)

That advice is echoed by Consumer Reports' Don Mays, Product Safety Director, who says, "The safest crib is a naked crib. There should be no soft bedding, no comforter or quilts or bumpers," all of which can pose a smothering risk to babies. He added that sleep positioners, devices to keep a baby on his or her back, shouldn't be used.

The AAP is revising their SIDS policy, and will likely publish it before the end of the year.

—Merri Rosenberg