Are you aware of the correct way to position an infant for sleep?  Recommendations have changed considerably in the past decade.  The infant sleep environment can be hazardous and can contribute to SIDS or suffocation.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the third leading cause of death in infants aged one month to one year in the United States (Mathews & MacDorman, 2007).  To combat this tragic loss, in 1994 the US Public Health Service, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the SIDS Alliance joined together to promote the Back to Sleep campaign.  This campaign sought to educate the public about the dangers of certain sleep practices related to infants.  Since the Back to Sleep program began in 1992, the rate of SIDS has declined approximately 50%.  Unfortunately, certain ethnic groups still experience double the national SIDS rate.  While the current rate of SIDS has reached a plateau, the rate of infant suffocation in the United States is dramatically increasing.