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Challenges parents encounter when implementing infant safe sleep advice
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Challenges parents encounter when implementing infant safe sleep advice

Roni Cole, Jeanine Young, Lauren Kearney and John M D Thompson
Acta Paediatrica, Vol.110(11), pp.3083-3093
2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.16040
PMID: 34297875
Appears in  UniSC Diversity and Inclusion Research Collection
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.16040View
Published Version

Abstract

infant care practices infant mortality safe sleep messages sudden infant death Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) UniSC Diversity Area - Life Stages
AIM: To understand which safe sleep recommendations parents find most challenging to implement, identifying common barriers encountered; and investigate whether challenges are associated with practices employed. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 3341 Australian families with young infants who birthed a live baby during April-May 2017. Caregivers were asked about infant care practices and family characteristics. Qualitative free-text items explored challenges faced with current safe sleep recommendations. RESULTS: Nearly one-third (n = 1033, 31%) of caregivers reported difficulty with at least one safe sleep recommendation. Infant sleep position and avoiding bed-sharing were identified as the most challenging recommendations. Caregivers described barriers which influenced consistency in uptake of advice. Families who described difficulty with a recommendation were significantly less likely to consistently employ that advice compared to those who did not report difficulty (sleep position: 198/473,42% vs 2548/2837,90% [p < 0.0001]; own sleep space: (269/344,78% vs 1331/2884,46% [p < 0.0001]). When families encountered challenges, they often proposed alternate strategies with an inference their substitute action compensated potential increased risk. CONCLUSION: Many families encounter difficulties implementing safe sleep advice; these challenges negatively impact care practices. Effective interventions meeting individual family needs, to provide safe sleep environments consistently, are necessary to improve sleep-related infant care and further reduce infant mortality.

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Pediatrics

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