Safe Sleep & SIDS Prevention
We support families after a loss to SIDS and share ways to help prevent it.
Understanding SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), sometimes called “crib death,” is the unexplained death of a baby under 1 year old, even after a thorough investigation. SIDS can happen to any family, regardless of race, income, or location. It cannot be predicted, and no one is to blame.
Key Facts
- SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant death.
- Most cases occur in babies younger than 6 months.
- African American babies are twice as likely to die from SIDS as white babies.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke increases a baby’s risk.
- Babies who sleep on their stomachs are at much higher risk than those placed on their backs.
Safe Sleep Practices & Reducing Risk
| Do | Don't |
| Do put babies to sleep on their backs | Don't put babies to sleep on their sides or bellies |
| Do put babies to sleep in a crib, bed, or bassinet | Don't put babies to sleep in swings or car seats |
| Do put babies on a firm mattress with a safe swaddle or a sleep sack | Don't use bumpers or put stuffed animals or estra blankets that could come loose into the sleep environment |
| Do put babies to sleep wearing only one more layer of clothing than what an adult would generally find comfortable | Don't overdress babies. This may lead to overheating, another risk factor of SIDS. |
| Do share a room with the baby until they're 6 months old | Don't share a bed with the baby |
Breastfeeding, even for just a few months, can cut the risk of SIDS by about half. It strengthens your baby’s immune system and supports healthy brain growth. After breastfeeding is established, using a pacifier at sleep time may also help lower the risk.
Our Resources
- pacifier
- sleep sack or wearable blanket
FREE SIDS resources
Need items to promote safe sleep for the infant in your life?
Mono County SIDS Program has FREE resources to support the families with infants. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or soon to-be parent, we have resource to support safe sleep for your infant. See flyer for more info.
Reach out to your Mono County SIDS coordinator, Jacinda Croissant, to receive the following resources (supplies limited):
Pacifier
Sleep sack or Wearable blanket
Pack n' Play
SIDS Risk Reduction Training
Mono County SIDS Program provides education to families and professional entities who have an opportunity to reduce the risk of SIDS and sleep related infant death. The following resources will provide individuals caring for infants the key concepts for SIDS awareness and risk reduction.
Step 1: Review the following resources
Safe to Sleep Video (En Espanol)
Interactive Safe Sleep Room
Interactive SIDS review
Extra resource for Childcare providers: Safe Sleep in Child-Care Settings (English)
Childcare provider Powerpoint training (Spanish)
Optional Resources for review:
Additional training resource for health professionals, human service providers, community health workers, home visitors, and peer supporters who interact with families on topics of safe sleep and breastfeeding.
How Safe Sleep Savvy are you? Assess these scenes to assess your knowledge
Step 2: Once you have finished the reviewing the resources, please complete this local survey (6 questions) to assess how helpful this training was to you.
Step 3: Check your safe sleeping spaces
Are you a parent, caregiver, or childcare provider that is need of a separate sleeping space for an infant? After completing the trainings and survey, email Jacinda Croissant to get a Free pack'n play and other safe sleep supplies
Thank you for taking the time to stay informed on how we can reduce the risk of SIDS in our community.
If you have any questions about SIDS and/or the SIDS program, contact your local SIDS coordinator:
Jacinda Croissant, at 760-924-1842.
Other SIDS resources
Check out CDC'd SUID/SIDS resource page to find information about SUID/SIDS, data/statistics, training resources, parent/caregiver resources, and notifications of recent SUID/SIDS initiatives.
The Safe Sleep Academy was developed by the Cribs for Kids® National Infant Safe Sleep Initiative.
Every year in the United States, more than 3,500 infant deaths occur due to accidental suffocation, asphyxia, or undetermined causes during sleep.
Since 1998, the mission of Cribs for Kids® has been to prevent these deaths by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing safe sleep for their babies and by providing portable cribs to families who, otherwise, cannot afford a safe place for their babies to sleep.
Recorded On-Demand Webinars
The Baby-Led Approach to Feeding: What Does the Research Say?
Supporting Responsive Feeding Using Baby Behavior
CDC experts Sharyn Park Brown, PhD, MPH and Carri Cottengim, MA to learn how to create a safe sleep area for baby and other safe sleep practices
The Social Determinants of Grief: The Impact of Black Infant Loss - Dr. Stacy Scott
Consumer Product Safety Commission Resources
