Infants are dying from unsafe sleep practices. Learn how to protect your baby

In Indiana, more than 10 infants died in less than a month in August 2025 because of unsafe sleep habits, according to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). This usually involves leaving babies to sleep somewhere other than a plain, flat surface, like a crib or bassinet. While Indiana averages about two such deaths a week, these tragic losses are mostly preventable. This rise in infant deaths has the IDOH urging families to practice safe sleep.

Why safe sleep is so important

When a baby dies because of unsafe sleep positioning or environments, it’s called “positional asphyxia,” or suffocation. IDOH says suffocation caused by unsafe sleep environments is the third leading cause of death for all Indiana infants. This happens when a baby is placed in an unsafe position, and they don’t have the strength to reposition themselves to breathe better.

“Essentially, a baby’s head is very large compared to the rest of their body, and they haven’t developed neck control to keep things upright,” explains Dr. Patrick Clements, a pediatric hospitalist at Riley Children’s and medical director of well-newborn care. “Anytime babies fall asleep in a device–such as a bouncy seat or rocker–the head can fall to the side or forward. This blocks off breathing and can cause babies to suffocate. If the baby is left unattended, you may not notice suffocation happening because babies don’t respond in the same way older children would.”

These deaths are called Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths, or SUID. This broad term describes all sudden deaths before the age of one. SUID includes accidental suffocation as well as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). SUID can be prevented by avoiding letting babies sleep with other people or in soft beds or couches, known as co-sleeping. When a baby is placed alone on a firm, flat surface, free of pillows, blankets, toys or bumpers, they are less likely to suffocate.

Beyond the ABCs of safe sleep

For years, safe sleep experts have encouraged families to remember the ABCs of safe sleep:

A: All alone. Ensure baby sleeps alone in a crib, without toys, bumpers or blankets. Using a sleep sack instead of a fluffy blanket can prevent the loose fabric from blocking off breathing.
B: On my back. Baby should sleep on their back, not on their side or stomach.
C: In a crib. Your baby is safest sleeping flat in a crib, bassinet or playpen.

Dr. Clements goes a few steps further and encourages additional precautions to cover the ABCDEF steps of safe sleep:

D: No devices. Swings, pillows or bouncy seats are not safe places for your baby to sleep. When your child falls asleep in a car or bouncy seat, their head can slump and cut off their air supply. “Families should only put babies in those devices if someone is directly watching them,” Dr. Clements said. “If the caregiver is tired and at risk of falling asleep –which is super easy when you have a little one! —or not in the same room, the baby shouldn’t be left unattended to sleep in any of these devices.”

E: Every sleep is safe sleep. During the day, caregivers might choose alternate sleeping locations for the baby. But unsafe sleep doesn’t only happen at night. A third of all babies who die in their sleep in Indiana do so during naps in daylight hours, according to the IDOH. It matters where you let your baby sleep whenever you put them down. “Do safe sleep every single time a baby is sleeping, not just when it’s dark outside,” Dr. Clements said. “Set a pattern so that your baby sleeps safely at every sleep, whether at the babysitter’s or grandma’s house. Emphasize safe sleep any time baby sleeps, no matter where they are or the time of day.”

F: Totally flat. Do not prop your baby on a couch pillow or leave them to sleep in a car seat when you get home. Your baby needs a flat space for safe sleep. “Any time baby is in a position where their head is elevated, that can be a risk of their head falling forward or to the side or rolling over, potentially blocking off breathing,” Dr. Clements said.

Maintaining safe sleep habits

The ABCDEFs of safe sleep are clear, but terrible accidents can and do happen. You can further protect your baby by taking additional steps to maintain safe sleep habits.

Keep in mind:

1. Not every device you buy is regulated for safe sleep. Baby bumpers and rockers may suggest they are safe for sleep, but they should not be used this way. Check to see if the gifts you receive from your shower are safe for sleeping. “If stores ever had an aisle for safe-sleep baby products, it would be mostly empty shelves because you don’t need all these devices,” Dr. Clements said. “Less is more. We want the baby’s sleep environment to look plain and boring.”
2. Talk with your family and baby’s caregivers about the ABCDEF steps to safe sleep. Advice and habits change over time, so someone in your family may have different expectations for safe sleep. “Sometimes things aren’t well regulated, or someone in your family put babies to sleep on their stomachs or with a pillow years ago,” Dr. Clements said. “Grandparents may plan to use an old bouncy seat for sleep that might have been recalled since they last used it. Be clear in your goals for safe sleep for your child.”
3. Any tobacco exposure increases the rate of SUIDs. Exposure to tobacco and vape products is the second greatest risk for a baby to die of SUID, after not sleeping on their back. “The chemicals in tobacco and vape smoke that irritate our lungs and make second- and thirdhand smoke bad for you and me are the same for babies,” Dr. Clements said. “Eliminating tobacco is something to talk about to make a baby’s sleep environment safer.”
4. Know your limits. It sometimes feels easier to leave the baby in the car seat to sleep or to think you can stay awake to watch them. Parents and caregivers of newborns are often exhausted. If you make it a rule always to put the baby in the crib or bassinet every time they fall asleep, you vastly decrease their risk of SUID.

“Having a newborn—especially for new parents—is a vulnerable time for everyone. When you’re sleep deprived, sometimes these horrible events can happen by accident,” Dr. Clements said. “You might feel stressed out, tired, anxious or depressed. But the best peace of mind you can give yourself is knowing your baby is somewhere safe.”

Dr. Clements says he always encourages families to talk to their pediatricians with any questions or concerns they have. "As pediatricians, we know the health and well-being of babies is directly related to making sure families are supported as well."