Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Background Information

  • This guideline addresses the question of how health-care providers can partner with families to promote safe sleep for infants 0-12 months of age to reduce known risk factors for injury and death.
  • Working with families to promote safe sleep for infants 0-12 months of age is an inter-professional endeavour. Effective care depends on a coordinated approach that fosters ongoing communication between health-care professionals, parents, families and other caregivers of infants.
  • In the delivery of care, the beliefs and unique needs of each client, as well as their personal and environmental resources, must always be considered.
  • While the RNAO expert panel had hoped to provide recommendations to prevent both unexpected injury and death during sleep, most of the evidence identified in the literature search focused solely on unexpected death.
Women and Children
Working with Families to Promote Safe Sleep for Infants
Background Information