October is Safe Sleep Month - Help Prevent Sleep Suffocation

The sudden and unexpected death of a baby is a devastating loss for families and communities. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) remains one of the leading causes of death for babies younger than one year. 

Today, medical examiners use Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, or SUID, as a broader term to include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and deaths with an unknown cause.  SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby that remains unexplained after a complete investigation. Since SIDS was recognized as a major public health issue in 1974, research and improved death investigations have helped experts better understand why some infant deaths happen. We now know that many sleep-related infant deaths are connected to unsafe sleep environments and other known risk factors. 

As research has grown, safe sleep guidance has also evolved to give families clearer ways to reduce risk. Creating a safer sleep space and following recommended safe sleep practices are simple, effective steps caregivers can take every time a baby sleeps.

Safe sleep is more than information. It is a routine caregivers can build, share and follow to help give every baby a safer start. Learn how you can help keep babies safe from sleep suffocation by exploring the resources below: 

Principles     Practices    Resources