What More Can We Do to Prevent Infants From Dying While They Sleep?

Abstract

Sleep-related infant deaths, now called sudden unexpected infant deaths, are not declining, and the United States continues to have greater rates than most other developed nations. Health disparities are significant, with death rates greater in certain vulnerable groups, including non-Hispanic Black infants. Nurses play a crucial role in educating, role-modeling, and problem-solving with parents. Thus, it is critical for nurses to stay current with the science, prevention recommendations, and societal decisions and debates surrounding this topic. This article provides a summary of the updated safe sleep recommendations released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2022 as well as discussions on current trends, thoughts, and controversies related to how safe sleep education is provided to parents.