Fri, Oct 9th 2026 03:45 pm<\/p>\n
Babies sleep alone, on their back, in a safe crib, in a smoke-free home<\/p>\n
Submitted by the Erie County Department of Health<\/p>\n
Seven Western New York families have experienced the devastating loss of a newborn infant in the past two months. These deaths, investigated by the Erie County Medical Examiner\u2019s Office, were all in infants 6 months of age and younger, with an unsafe sleeping environment as a contributing cause.<\/p>\n
\u201cParents and caregivers are responsible for giving their babies a safe environment to play, grow and sleep. Having a sleeping infant in a bed or on a couch is taking a dangerous gamble with their health and life,\u201d Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein said. \u201cDuring the first year of life, infants develop neck strength and motor skills to adjust their position and coordinate movement if blankets, pillows or a person block their breathing. Until then, co-sleeping can cause suffocation and crush injuries, and tragically has led to preventable deaths of infants under 1 year of age in our community this year and in previous years.\u201d<\/p>\n
These recent deaths happened during relatively warm weather; a desire to keep these infants warm in cold conditions was not a factor. Now that winter is approaching, parents and caregivers should prioritize the best practices \u2013 the ABCs around safe sleep for babies:<\/p>\n
\u221a Babies sleep Alone\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u221a On their Back\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u221a In a safe Crib\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u221a In a Smoke-free home<\/p>\n
\u201cThose four guiding principles represent hard lessons learned by parents, pediatricians and public health,\u201d Burstein said. \u201cParents should reinforce these recommendations with babysitters, grandparents, other children in a household, and anyone spending time with an infant. Please, share this information with people in your life who have infants or who are pregnant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Babies sleep alone<\/p>\n
\u2022The infant should be alone in a crib to sleep. That means no other people or children; no pillows, blankets or toys; and no bumper pads.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Share your room, not your bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing for a child\u2019s first six months; it can reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 50%. Room-sharing makes feeding and changing your baby easier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Use a wearable blanket or other type sleeper instead of blankets to keep your baby warm and safe.<\/p>\n
Back to sleep<\/p>\n
\u2022Always place infants on their backs to sleep (\u201cback to sleep\u201d) for all naps and at night. The child will breathe easier and can help prevent sudden unexpected infant death.<\/p>\n
\u2022Insist that anyone caring for your baby puts them on their back to sleep. Caregivers or grandparents may not be familiar with this \u201cback to sleep\u201d practice. They may prefer to place infants on their side or stomach. If you are a parent, this is your child: That means your rules are the only rules.<\/p>\n
\u2022Some babies can fall asleep anywhere \u2013 a car seat, stroller, infant carrier, or swing. When this happens, move the baby to a firm sleep surface \u2013 on his or her back \u2013 as soon as it is practical.<\/p>\n
Sleep in a safe crib<\/p>\n
\u2022Use a crib that meets current safety standards. The mattress should be firm, flat and fit in the crib with no gaps. Cover the mattress with only a tight-fitting crib sheet. Portable cribs and play-yard-style cribs are also good choices.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Never place your baby to sleep on top of any soft surface. This includes avoiding adult beds, sofas, chairs, waterbeds, pillows, cushions, comforters and sheepskins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Check to see that the bedding for your baby is safe. The AAP recommends a firm, flat sleep surface in a child-safe crib, free of soft objects or loose bedding. Infants should not be put to sleep on waterbeds, sofas, chairs or other unstable surfaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022No bumper pads of any kind should be used. There is no evidence that bumper pads prevent injuries, and there is a risk of strangulation or entrapment from bumper pads.<\/p>\n
Keep your home smoke-free<\/p>\n
\u2022Quit smoking to reduce your baby\u2019s risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID).<\/p>\n
\u2022No one should smoke in your home or around your baby.<\/p>\n
Breastfeeding and other considerations<\/p>\n
\u2022According to AAP, mothers who choose to breastfeed their infant in bed should exercise caution that they do not fall asleep. This puts the infant at risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Take particular care when overtired, which could cause a caregiver to fall asleep while holding or breastfeeding the infant. The baby is then at risk of the caregiver rolling over on them or slipping down into the chair or bed frame. Many sleep accidents happen when tired parents fall asleep while feeding their baby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Do not sleep with your baby, especially if you have been using alcohol or drugs (including legal, illegal, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs). Alcohol and drug use can cause a deeper sleep and decreased awareness of the infant and the surroundings. This increases the risk of entrapment and suffocation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022Avoid co-sleeping \u2013 sharing a sleeping area with one or more adults or siblings \u2013 which greatly increases the risk of the infant becoming entrapped in bedding or smothered during normal sleep movements. This is especially true when the person sharing the bed is obese.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For more:<\/p>\n
\u221a New York State Department of Health, safe sleep for babies: https:\/\/www.health.ny.gov\/diseases\/conditions\/safesleep\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u221a American Academy of Pediatrics, Parents\u2019 Guide to Safe Sleep: https:\/\/www.healthychildren.org\/English\/ages-stages\/baby\/sleep\/Pages\/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u221a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, safe sleep: https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/SafeSleep<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n