What are two key safety recommendations for infants to reduce SIDS risk and injury?

What are two key safety recommendations for infants to reduce SIDS risk and injury?

• A. Place infants on their backs to sleep; ensure a safe sleep environment and use a rear-facing car seat
• B. Place infants on their stomachs to sleep; keep them in soft bedding
• C. Let infants sleep in caregivers' bed; use a forward-facing car seat
• D. Keep infants upright at all times; avoid using a car seat

Answer: (C)

Two main ideas reduce SIDS risk and injury: position the baby on their back for every sleep, and create a safe sleep environment. Sleeping on the back keeps the airway open and reduces the chance of suffocation or rebreathing exhaled air. A safe sleep environment means a firm, flat surface with a tight-fitting sheet and nothing soft or loose in the sleep area—no pillows, blankets, bumper pads, toys, or plush items—and ideally sharing the same room without bed-sharing to limit risks. For travel, the baby should be in a rear-facing car seat that fits their size and age. So the best guidance is to always place babies on their backs to sleep and ensure a safe sleep space, with appropriate rear-facing car seat use for travel.

Two main ideas reduce SIDS risk and injury: position the baby on their back for every sleep, and create a safe sleep environment. Sleeping on the back keeps the airway open and reduces the chance of suffocation or rebreathing exhaled air. A safe sleep environment means a firm, flat surface with a tight-fitting sheet and nothing soft or loose in the sleep area—no pillows, blankets, bumper pads, toys, or plush items—and ideally sharing the same room without bed-sharing to limit risks. For travel, the baby should be in a rear-facing car seat that fits their size and age.

So the best guidance is to always place babies on their backs to sleep and ensure a safe sleep space, with appropriate rear-facing car seat use for travel.