Every year in Alaska, babies die in their sleep. Many Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) deaths are caused by unintentional suffocation during sleep and can be prevented by creating a safe sleep environment. Use these recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to create a safe sleep environment for infants:
- Share a room with your baby, but not a bed—infants should always sleep alone
- Place your baby on his back to sleep every time
- Use a firm sleep surface, such as a safety-approved crib mattress, with a tight-fitting sheet
- Use sleep clothing instead of a blanket
- Remove any blankets, toys, stuffed animals, crib bumpers, dangling cords or other strangulation or entrapment hazards from the baby’s sleep space
- Avoid exposure to smoke, alcohol, or illicit drugs
- Avoid overheating (in general, infants should have no greater than 1 layer more than an adult would wear to be comfortable)
Want to learn more? Check out these resources on SIDS.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
National Institutes of Health’s Safe to Sleep Campaign