Although most of the parents and other caregivers believe in the importance of implementing or following safe sleep practices among infants, in reality, they still keep up with traditional methods that are increasing the risks.
This has been the finding of a team of researchers who conducted an analysis of the relationship between infant sleep safety attitudes and actual behaviors of these caregivers, which also include parents and relatives such as grandparents. Dr. Sarah Varghese of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University led the study.
She and her team conducted a survey among 121 newborn caregivers in New York's Staten Island University Hospital. Based on the analysis, majority had a favorable attitude toward infant sleep safety.
However, their behaviors tend to be on the opposite side of the fence. At least 53% of them had agreed to not using pacifiers during sleep or nap time even if it's recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics based on the new guidelines. More than 61% of them, meanwhile, used swaddling blankets despite increasing the risks of sleep-related deaths. Some of the respondents are also using home monitors, which is also frowned upon. The same guidelines recommended removing any soft objects out of the crib. It also promoted breastfeeding and updated vaccinations. Babies should be sleeping on their backs and their sleep surface must be firm.
The new guidelines were developed due to the increased incidence of sleep-related deaths due to entrapment, suffocation, and asphyxia.
According to Dr. Varghese, it's more likely that these parents are not able to shake off these traditional but risky practices, which may be coming from their own parents and therefore handed down through generations. For example, many of them avoid using pacifiers for fear of dental issues. But there are ways to avoid that.
Although the study has limitations especially in demographics, it still stresses the importance of updating safety practices information for infants among caregivers.
The study is now available in Journal of Perinatology.