Safe Sleep
October is Safe Sleep Awareness Month!
What is Safe Sleep?
Safe sleep is a set of practices and guidelines designed to create a secure sleeping environment for infants, minimizing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related dangers.
Why Safe Sleep Is Important
Creating a safe sleep environment for your baby is one of the most important things you can do to protect their health and well-being. Every year, thousands of infants die unexpectedly during sleep from causes like SIDS, accidental suffocation, or unknown reasons. Many of these deaths can be prevented by following safe sleep guidelines.
Understanding and implementing safe sleep practices can help ensure that your baby sleeps safely and soundly, giving you peace of mind.
Did You Know? Some Safe Sleep Statistics
more than 61,000 babies are born in Colorado every year.
sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is the fourth leading cause of death for Coloradans under age 18.
approximately 50 infants die each year in Colorado from sleep-related causes.
Safe Sleep Guidelines
The ABCs of Safe Sleep
Prioritizing safe sleep practices significantly reduces the risk of sleep-related accidents and, by following the ABCs of safe sleep, you’re giving your baby the best chance for a healthy, happy start in life.
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A – Alone
Infants should always sleep alone in their own sleep space, like a crib or bassinet, free from pillows, blankets, or toys.
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B – Back
Always place your baby on their back to sleep. This position significantly reduces the risk of SIDS.
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C – Crib
Ensure that your baby sleeps in a safety-approved crib or bassinet, designed to meet current safety standards.
Planning Is Paramount: When ABCs Aren’t an Option
(A Harm Reduction Approach)
While following ideal safe sleep practices is important, we recognize that real-life situations sometimes require flexibility. A harm reduction approach helps caregivers minimize risks when ideal practices aren’t always possible.
There are various reasons why families might not follow safe sleep guidelines, and it’s not just about convenience.
In situations where following the ABCs of safe sleep (Alone, on their Back, in a Crib) isn’t feasible, having a well-thought-out plan becomes paramount. Always communicate with your partner, family members, or other caregivers about safe sleep practices, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Working collaboratively to find the safest possible solutions within your specific context is essential.
8 Rules for Safer Sleep
By taking a harm reduction approach, we aim to support all families in creating the safest possible sleep environments for their infants, recognizing that flexibility and understanding are key to effective education and support.
Families may or may not be able to follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep every time. That’s why the following 8 rules are designed to help reduce risk and keep babies safer, wherever they sleep.
1. No smoking in the home or outside
This means ensuring a completely smoke-free environment for the baby. Smoke exposure, even indirectly, increases the risk of respiratory problems and SIDS. If smoking cannot be avoided, it’s crucial to smoke outside, change your clothes before returning to your baby, and ensure that a responsible caregiver is watching over the baby during this time.
2. Sober adults
Any caregivers sharing a bed with the baby must refrain from consuming alcohol or taking medications that induce drowsiness. This includes ensuring that all adults in the bed are fully sober and alert. Maintaining sobriety is crucial so that everyone can respond promptly to the baby’s needs or emergencies and to reduce the risk of accidental harm during bed-sharing.
3. Breastfeeding day and night
If a parent chooses to bed share, it is recommended that they do so only when breastfeeding. This is because breastfeeding allows for closer supervision and immediate response to the baby’s needs.
4. Only with a healthy baby who is full term
This refers to a baby who is born at full term (between 37 and 42 weeks gestation) and is in good health without any pre-existing medical conditions.
5. Baby should be on their back and face up
Placing the baby on their back for sleep significantly reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The face-up position allows for clear airways and comfortable breathing.
6. No sweat
Baby is in light clothing and not swaddled. Overheating is a risk factor for SIDS. It’s important to dress the baby in light, breathable clothing and avoid swaddling, especially in warmer environments.
7. Safe surface
No soft mattress, no extra pillows, no toys, no tight or heavy covers. Clear of strings and cords. Gaps firmly filled by rolled towels or baby blankets. The sleep surface should be firm and free from any potential hazards. This includes removing soft bedding, toys, and ensuring that there are no strings or cords nearby.
8. The C-position
The C-position, also known as the “cuddle curl,” is a recommended way to position yourself and your baby when bed sharing. In this position, the caregiver bends their knees and tucks their arm under their head/pillow, forming the letter “C” around the baby. This position can help create a protective barrier and facilitate safe breastfeeding during sleep.
Safe Sleep in Professional Child Care Settings & Other Licensing or Regulated Settings
Regulatory Standards and Compliance
In professional child care settings and other licensing or regulated settings, safe sleep practices are not just recommendations—they are mandatory requirements enforced by state regulations and licensing standards. Child care providers must adhere to specific guidelines designed to ensure the safety of all infants in their care. These guidelines are often more stringent than those recommended for use in the home, reflecting the added responsibility of caring for multiple infants and the need for standardized practices across different care environments.
Communicating with Families
It is also essential for child care providers to communicate clearly with families about the safe sleep practices implemented in their facilities. This includes discussing any differences between what is practiced at home and what is required in the child care setting. Open communication helps ensure that parents and caregivers are aligned in their approach to safe sleep, both at home and in child care.
Get Involved
How to Get Involved
At Illuminate Colorado, we are dedicated to promoting safe sleep practices to protect infants and support families. Your involvement can make a significant difference in spreading awareness and ensuring that every baby has a safe sleep environment. Here are some ways you can get involved:
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Talk about Safe Sleep
Share this information with your friends and family, making sure they have the information needed to keep their babies safe.
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Engage on Social Media
Follow us on social media, share our posts, and help spread awareness about safe sleep practices.
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Write for Our Blog
Contribute articles or personal stories about safe sleep to help educate and inspire others. Contact us at info@illuminatecolorado.org if you’re interested.
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Join the ISSP
Become a member of the Colorado Infant Safe Sleep Partnership and contribute your expertise and resources.
Illuminate Colorado’s Safe Sleep Work
At Illuminate Colorado, we are deeply committed to promoting safe sleep practices to protect infants and support families. Our comprehensive approach encompasses education, direct services, and collaborative efforts to create a community-wide impact. Our multifaceted approach to promoting safe sleep is driven by our commitment to the well-being of all children and families in Colorado.
Here’s an overview of our work in this crucial area:
Education & Awareness
We believe that knowledge is power, and our educational initiatives aim to empower parents, caregivers, and the broader community with essential information about safe sleep practices. We provide up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines to help families create safe sleep environments for their babies. Our awareness work through social media and blogs highlights the importance of safe sleep and practical steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths.
Integrating Safe Sleep into Direct Services
Leading a Network of Safe Sleep Advocates
Information and Resources
General Resources
Safe to Sleep®, The National Institute of Health
The Safe to Sleep® campaign, formerly known as the Back to Sleep campaign, is an initiative by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to educate parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers about ways to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics has assembled a collection of tools and resources to help pediatricians and healthcare professionals provide education and guidance to parents and caregivers on infant safe sleep.
HealthyChildren.org
HealthyChildren.org is the only parenting website backed by 67,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Get parent- and caregiver-friendly information about safe sleep (and tons of other information) directly from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
US Consumer Product Safety Commission
There are so many choices when it comes to buying products for baby. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission works to protect people from unsafe consumer products–including unsafe sleep-related products. Stay up-to-date on recent recalls, and check for any recalls before buying something secondhand or using a hand-me-down for a baby.
Cribs for Kids®
The mission of Cribs for Kids® is to prevent infant sleep-related deaths by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing safe sleep for their babies and by providing portable cribs to families who, otherwise, cannot afford a safe place for their babies to sleep.
Infant Loss Resources
The loss of a baby is unimaginably tragic and heartbreaking, but this is not a path parents and caregivers have to travel alone. Resources and support are available.
Angel Eyes
Angel Eyes helps Colorado families cope with the sudden, unexpected death of an infant or toddler, including SIDS, SUID, SUDC, miscarriage and stillbirth loss, while raising awareness and supporting research. They offer free professional bereavement counseling, a support group, peer connections, and community referrals to those who are grieving.
Postpartum Support International
Postpartum Support International provides resources for loss and grief in pregnancy and postpartum through non-judgmental support, information, and connection with others. PSI offers several different support groups for those who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss, a discussion tool, a provider directory, and additional resources.
Safe to Sleep® Resource List
The Safe to Sleep® campaign and its collaborators and partners offer sympathy and empathy to families and communities that experience such losses, especially those from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related situations. They have a list of several other resources available to families who have lost a baby.
