It is advised that media and manufacturers follow safe sleep guidelines in their messaging, advertising, production, and sales to promote safe sleep practices as the social norm.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment
Why This Matters
Visuals shape caregiver behavior. Research shows that when families repeatedly see babies sleeping in unsafe environments—whether in advertisements, social media, television, news coverage, or stock photography—those practices can become normalized. We encourage media professionals to use safe sleep imagery whenever reporting on infants, parenting, newborn care, SIDS, suffocation prevention, or infant sleep-related topics.
Quick Infant Safe Sleep Visual Checklist
DO
✓ Baby sleeping alone
✓ Baby placed on their back
✓ Baby sleeping in a safety-approved crib, bassinet, or play yard
✓ A firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet
✓ An empty sleep space free of blankets, pillows, toys, and other loose items
✓ Room-sharing with a separate sleep space when appropriate
DON’T
✗ Decorative nursery photos showing blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, crib bumper pads, or other loose bedding
✗ Images of babies sleeping on their stomachs or sides
✗ Sleeping babies with hats or bows.
✗ Outdated stock photos that do not reflect current safe sleep recommendations
✗ B-roll showing babies sleeping in swings, loungers, car seats, inclined sleepers, or other products not intended for routine sleep
✗ Family bed-sharing photos accompanying stories about infant safe sleep
✗ Babies sleeping on couches, recliners, or armchairs
✗ Product photos or marketing images that depict unsafe sleep environments, even if provided by a manufacturer
✗ Multiple infants sharing the same sleep surface
Need Safe Sleep Images?
Use our free media image library! The library contains media-ready images that align with current safe sleep recommendations and may be used when reporting on infant safe sleep, SIDS, suffocation prevention, newborn care, and related topics.
Additional Media Resources
AVOID COMMON MISTAKES
QUICK FACTS
TERMINOLOGY MATTERS
SUGGESTED LOCAL SOURCES
RESOURCES, EVIDENCE & STATS
AVOID COMMON MISTAKES
Avoiding Common Safe Sleep Reporting Mistakes
The images used in a story are often just as influential as the words. Even when an article or news segment accurately discusses infant safe sleep, accompanying photos or video can unintentionally send a conflicting message. Many healthcare professionals and safe sleep advocates are hesitant to share articles or news segments that contain unsafe sleep imagery, even when the reporting itself is accurate.
Choose visuals that match the message.
When covering infant safe sleep, use images and video that reflect current recommendations. A safe sleep environment should show a baby sleeping alone, on their back, in a safety-approved crib, bassinet, or play yard, with nothing in the crib (e.g. no pillows, blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, etc.).
Review stock images and footage carefully.
Many commonly used nursery photos, stock images, and video clips (including B-roll) contain outdated or unsafe sleep practices that no longer align with current recommendations. Before publishing, review all visuals to ensure they support the story’s message.
Pay special attention to hero images and opening footage.
The image at the top of an article, thumbnail on social media, or opening B-roll in a television segment is often what audiences remember most. Make sure these visuals reinforce—not contradict—the safe sleep message.
QUICK FACTS
Quick Facts:
- Over 3,500 babies die every year from sleep-related deaths.
– - Sleep-related infant deaths remain one of the leading causes of death for babies between 1 month and 1 year of age.
– - Sleep-related infant deaths include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and unknown or undetermined causes.
- See the “Terminology Matters” section for more information.
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- See the “Terminology Matters” section for more information.
- Most sleep-related infant deaths are associated with unsafe sleep environments.
– - The infant safe sleep recommendations come from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
– - Babies should follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep
- Alone – Nothing and no one in the baby’s sleep space.
- Back – Babies should sleep on their backs, not side or stomach. Infant sleep-related deaths declined by 50% once parents began placing their babies on their back to sleep instead of on their tummy.
- Crib – Babies should sleep in safety-approved sleep environments such as cribs, bassinets, or play yards (e.g. Cribette or Pack ‘N Play)
–
- Safe Sleep prevents infant sleep-related deaths due to suffocation and reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
– - Room-sharing is the safest alternative to bed-sharing. Babies should be placed in their own separate sleep environment (crib, bassinet, or play yard) next to the caregiver’s bed for at least the first 6 months of life.
– - Bed-sharing (also called co-sleeping and surface sharing) causes over 50% of all infant sleep-related deaths. [SOURCE]
TERMINOLOGY MATTERS
Terminology Matters
Terms such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), suffocation, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), and sleep-related infant death are not interchangeable. Using accurate terminology helps families better understand both the risks and the prevention strategies being discussed.
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
The sudden and unexplained death of an infant younger than one year of age that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy, death scene investigation, and review of the clinical history.
Suffocation
A death caused by the obstruction of an infant’s airway or an unsafe sleep environment that interferes with breathing. Examples may include soft bedding, overlay, entrapment, or wedging.
SUID (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death)
A broad, technical term used by researchers, medical professionals, and public health agencies. SUID is an umbrella category that includes many types of sudden and unexpected infant deaths, including SIDS, suffocation, undetermined causes, and other causes identified during an investigation.
Sleep-Related Infant Death
A general term often used when discussing infant deaths that occur during sleep or in a sleep environment. Depending on the circumstances and final determination, these deaths may be classified as SIDS, suffocation, undetermined, or another cause.
Cribs for Kids Recommendation
When communicating with the public, consider using the phrase “SIDS and suffocation” rather than “SUID.”
While SUID is an important technical and surveillance term, many parents and caregivers are unfamiliar with it. In contrast, most caregivers recognize the term SIDS and understand what suffocation means. Using plain language can make stories more accessible and easier for families to understand while still conveying the importance of infant safe sleep.
If using the term SUID in a story, consider defining it for readers on first reference.
SUGGESTED LOCAL SOURCES
Finding Local Data & Experts
National statistics help explain the scope of the issue, but local data and local voices often make the greatest impact with audiences. When reporting on infant safe sleep, consider including information about how sleep-related infant deaths affect families in your community and what local organizations are doing to address the issue.
Potential sources of local data include:
- State or local health departments
- Child Death Review (CDR) programs
- Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) programs
- Medical examiners and coroners
- Children’s hospitals and health systems
- State maternal and child health programs
- Local infant mortality, maternal health, or injury prevention coalitions
Potential experts to interview include:
- Pediatricians
- Neonatologists
- Public health professionals
- Hospital safe sleep program leaders
- Child death review coordinators
- Injury prevention specialists
- Community organizations providing infant safe sleep education and resources
Questions to consider when localizing a story:
- How many sleep-related infant deaths occur in our state or community each year?
- Are certain populations disproportionately affected?
- What safe sleep initiatives are currently underway locally?
- What resources are available for families who need assistance obtaining a safe sleep space?
- What trends are local experts seeing in their community?
NEED HELP VERIFYING AN IMAGE?
Before publication, Cribs for Kids can help review infant sleep imagery for accuracy. Send it to our team at info@cribsforkids.org.