Which practices reduce SIDS risk in safe sleep guidelines?

• A. Firm mattress, appropriate room temperature, avoid overheating, breastfeeding if possible, avoid smoking exposure, and keeping the sleep area free of soft items.
• B. Soft mattress, high room temperature, and sleeping with soft pillows in the crib.
• C. Sleeping on the stomach with soft bedding.
• D. Sharing a sleep surface with another adult.

Answer: (A)

Safe sleep practices reduce SIDS risk by creating a safe, stable environment for an infant’s sleep. The best choice brings together several protective measures: a firm, flat mattress with a tight-fitting sheet supports a solid sleeping surface and reduces the chance of airway obstruction; keeping the room at an appropriate temperature and avoiding overheating helps the baby stay comfortable without being over-warmed; breastfeeding, when possible, is associated with a lower risk of SIDS, likely due to protective factors for the infant; avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke is crucial since smoke exposure raises risk; and keeping the sleep area free of soft items eliminates objects that could obstruct breathing or cause suffocation. Together, these practices align with recommendations to place babies on their back, on a firm surface, with no soft bedding or objects, in a smoke-free, well-regulated environment, and to consider breastfeeding as a protective factor.

The other options contain elements that increase risk: a soft mattress or soft bedding can lead to suffocation; high room temperature or overheating strains the infant; sleeping on the stomach or sharing a sleep surface with another adult has been linked to higher SIDS risk and is not recommended.