minnesota department of health

MDH highlights the ABCs of infant safe sleep for parents and those caring for babies

During Minnesota’s Infant Safe Sleep Week (Nov. 16-22), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) wants parents and caretakers to know about the best ways to keep babies sleeping safely at home and at child care to avoid tragic deaths.  

Annually, approximately 50 otherwise healthy Minnesota babies die of sleep-related unintentional injuries while sleeping in unsafe conditions such as in an adult bed or on a sofa with parents or older children. Babies can become tangled in bedding, get stuck under pillows or trapped between a sleeping adult and the cushions of a sofa or recliner, which can lead to suffocation, entrapment and strangulation.

“This week, and every week, we want to make sure parents and caregivers know the things they can do to keep babies safe while they sleep,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “Even one death is one too many. Focusing on safe sleep practices at home and in other settings, like child care, can help prevent the unimaginable.”  

Minnesota’s child care providers significantly reduced the number of safe sleep deaths in licensed child care settings by implementing enhanced safe sleep requirements, training and supervision of sleeping infants. Between the years 2008 and 2012, there were six to 10 sleep-related deaths each year in child care programs. Then Minnesota implemented a law in 2013 that enhanced safe sleep requirements, and deaths in licensed child care settings have dropped significantly to a statewide average of one per year.  

"Licensing child care helps keep children safe and healthy by making sure providers meet basic standards for care and a safe environment," said Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families Inspector General Randy Keys. "Spreading the message of safe sleep best practices helps ensure children in every environment are sleeping safely."

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has put forth a set of safe sleep recommendations designed to protect children up to 1 year old and ensure that they wake up after sleeping. These recommendations are known as the ABCs of safe sleep.  

*A*LONE: Infants should always sleep or nap alone—not sharing beds or cribs with others.

*B*ACK: Always put a baby on their back to sleep or nap.

*C*RIB: Babies should always sleep or nap in their own safety-approved crib, play yard, bassinet or portable crib without blankets or pillows. To keep warm during Minnesota winters, parents are urged to dress babies in pajamas or other clothing appropriate for the temperature.

Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed Nov. 16-22 Infant Safe Sleep Week in Minnesota (PDF) [ [link removed] ] and MDH will partner with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to illuminate the I-35W Bridge in pink, white and blue on the night of Nov. 19. Hennepin County partners are illuminating the Lowry Avenue Bridge in pink, white and blue on Nov. 22.  

MDH is also addressing infant safe sleep through the Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Families Act [ [link removed] ] which allocates funding for statewide grants to improve infant health outcomes. Established in 2023, this Act established the Minnesota Partnership to Prevent Infant Mortality and provides funding for statewide grants to Tribal Nations, nonprofits and community health boards to improve infant health outcomes.  Currently, there are 24 grantees working on safe sleep education and promotion.  

Several MDH grantees from Black and American Indian communities are working with families to help them provide safe spaces and overcome the challenges that can put babies in harm’s way, such as lack of stable housing or financial security. Between 2019 and 2023, Minnesota saw stark racial disparities in unexpected infant deaths with rates for American Indian infants more than four times higher and rates for Black infants nearly twice as high as the overall state rate.  

More information is available on MDH’s Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (Includes SIDS and Sleep-Related Infant Deaths [ [link removed] ]) and Safe Sleep webpage and information about safe sleep cribs is available at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Safe Sleep [ [link removed] ] webpage.  

*-MDH-*

*Media inquiries:*
*Scott Smith*
*MDH Communications*
*651-503-1440*
*[email protected]* <[email protected]>

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