Safe Sleep and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
Newborns arrive with incredible potential, and their growing bodies develop rapidly in their first months of life. Their soft, flexible rib cages, developing muscles, and still‑maturing brain centers for breathing and heart rate are all part of the amazing growth that happens early.
Because infants are still growing in important ways, they benefit greatly from surroundings that help them breathe easily and rest safely.
During Safe Sleep and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month this October, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) are urging families across Oregon to create sleep environments that support a baby’s healthy development.
A baby’s chest and airway are especially sensitive during early months. Gentle pressure on the chest can influence breathing or heart rhythm, and developing neck and chest muscles may make it harder for infants to shift position if something blocks their airway. Their brain stem, which manages breathing and heart rate, is also still strengthening, meaning it may take longer for them to wake themselves when they need more oxygen.
The good news is that supportive sleep practices can make a big difference. When babies sleep in the same room as a caregiver on a firm, flat surface without pillows or soft bedding, they have the safest conditions for steady breathing and healthy sleep. Caregivers who do not use alcohol, drugs, and other substances help ensure that adults are fully alert and able to respond to infants’ needs.
Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a broad term that includes several causes—SIDS, accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed, and deaths of unknown cause. Many risks associated with SUID can be reduced by creating a safe, uncluttered sleep environment and placing babies on their backs for every nap and every night.
Know the risks
Some products and practices can unintentionally create risks. Inclined sleepers, infant loungers, and similar items can cause a baby’s head to tilt forward, narrowing the airway. Stomach sleeping or soft bedding can put pressure on the chest or block breathing. Couches and chairs are not safe places for infants to sleep.
Some parents choose to sleep with their baby, which can be unsafe. It can be especially unsafe to sleep with your baby if:
- You are sleeping on a soft surface, such as an adult bed with quilts, comforters, and pillows, a sofa, couch or armchair.
- You currently smoke or smoked during pregnancy.
- You have taken drugs, including cannabis, alcohol or medications that make you sleepy.
Nearly 40 infants in the state die each year in their sleep, said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA’s Public Health Division.
“Every child death is a tragedy,” Sidelinger said. “Many of these deaths during sleep are preventable by following some easy steps, which we are sharing today.”
Families are encouraged to take advantage of free, voluntary nurse home visiting programs administered through OHA. They include Babies First!, Family Connects Oregon and Nurse-Family Partnership. Safe infant sleep is one of the topics covered during home visits.
Another resource is Oregon Family Care Plans, a collaboration of Comagine Health, OHA, and ODHS. It helps parents and caregivers build strong, sustainable care plans to address life challenges, such as pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and includes safe infant sleep practices.
“Family Care Plans are an opportunity to partner with families about their most pressing needs and concerns, including their infant’s sleep environment. When an unmet need is identified by a family working with ODHS, it helps us partner alongside the family to fill in the gap to enhance the safety and well-being of the whole family,” Child Welfare Interim Director Rolanda Garcia said.
Tips for caring for infants
- Always put your baby to sleep on his/her back.
- Make sure no one smokes around your baby.
- Breastfeed your baby, if possible.
- Put your baby to sleep in the room where you sleep.
- Remove soft, fluffy bedding, pillows, stuffed toys and bumper pads from your baby’s sleep area. Use a firm sleep surface. Avoid placing your baby to sleep on soft things like couches or upholstered chairs, waterbeds, beanbag chairs, quilts or comforters.
- Talk with grandparents and other caregivers about safe sleep information.
- Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS. If you are breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is going well before offering a pacifier. This usually takes three to four weeks. It’s OK if your baby doesn’t want to use a pacifier.
- Avoid overheating and head covering.
Resources
- Caregiver exhaustion is normal when caring for infants. Call, text, or email 211 to get connected to resources that can provide support.
- More information and safe sleep practices in multiple languages are available on OHA’s Safe Sleep for Babies webpage.
- The most important thing you can do for your baby’s health is to quit smoking. For help, call the Oregon Tobacco Quit Line:
- Contact the Quit Line—1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), quitnow.net/oregon
- Spanish Quit Line—1-855-DEJELO-YA (1-855-335356-92), quitnow.net/oregonsp
Safe sleep doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple habits can help babies rest safely and comfortably. Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month is a great time to share tips, ask questions, and lean on the resources available. When we support each other, we help every baby get the safe start they deserve.
For more information, visit: Oregon Safe Sleep Coalition.