IDOH has learned of more than 10 infant deaths related to unsafe sleep in August. Indiana typically averages two such cases a week over the course of a year. Suffocation caused by unsafe sleep environments is the third leading cause of death for all Indiana infants.
Unsafe situations often involve co-sleeping with an adult (such as in a bed), blankets and pillows in the baby’s crib, or the baby being placed on his or her stomach to sleep. In Indiana between 2015-2019, 36% of unsafe sleep deaths occurred during naptime (Source: IDOH SUID Report, Division of Family Health Data and Fatality Prevention), so it’s essential to sleep in a safe place every time.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to place babies in a safe sleep environment,” said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP. “These tragic deaths are preventable and can have a profound impact on communities.”
Babies should be placed to sleep following the ABCs of safe sleep:
- Alone: Babies should be placed alone with caregiver nearby in the same room.
- Back: On his or her back.
- Crib: With only a tight-fitting sheet, no bumper pads, pillows, blankets or stuffed animals. Never place a baby to sleep on a couch, chair, air mattress, or other soft surface. Do not let baby sleep in a baby swing or bouncer. Adults, siblings, and animals should not sleep with baby.
