Supine (Back) Sleep Position

Supine (back) sleeping has been shown to decrease the incidence of SIDS and SUID (sleep-related infant deaths). Despite recommendations to place infants in the supine position for sleep, parents sometimes choose the non-supine position for their infants. This choice can be related to parental attitudes about supine sleep for their infants, perception about social norms, and whether they have control over which position their infants are placed to sleep. Health-care providers can get more infants in the supine position to sleep by consistently recommending and modeling the supine sleep position and by addressing parental concerns.