Health Tip: Baby Should Sleep on Her Back

Most parents are well aware of safety warnings to place sleeping infants on their backs to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

But that may not alleviate parental concerns about sleeping infants.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this information for anxious parents:

• Despite sleeping on the back, baby is at little risk of choking on spit-up, or breathing or digestive problems, research has found.
• To ease concerns about baby developing a "flat head," alternate which direction baby's head faces while sleeping.
• To strengthen baby's neck and stomach muscles, practice tummy time while baby is awake.