Safe to sleep: A systematic review of the safe infant sleep training literature across relevant personnel

• Published in: Journal of neonatal nursing : JNN Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 381 - 395
• Main Authors: Mery, Jacqueline N., Vladescu, Jason C., Sidener, Tina M., Reeve, Kenneth F., Day-Watkins, Jessica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Back to sleep; Infant mortality; Sudden infant death syndrome; Sudden infant death syndrome; Back to sleep; Infant mortality
• ISSN: 1355-1841; 1878-089X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnn.2021.06.001

To reduce sleep-related infant deaths, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has identified safe infant sleep recommendations; however, it is unclear which training strategies to teach safe infant sleep practices are most effective. Since the AAP released updated safe sleep recommendations in 2016, no analysis of the safe infant sleep training literature has been conducted. The purpose of the present review was to evaluate the safe infant sleep training literature of relevant populations such as caregivers and medical personnel, and provide recommendations for future research. The overall efficacy of training strategies was found to be positive or mixed where experiments most commonly implemented an educational session, followed by use of instructional materials, distribution of safe materials, and hospital-wide policy change. Methodological limitations were also identified.