TR
EN
Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines
Abstract
Sleep plays a vital role in supporting brain development and the overall growth of infants. Ensuring that sleep occurs in a safe environment significantly reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers with infants aged 0-12 months regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and safe sleep environments, based on the American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 safe sleep recommendations. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted at a single center in Türkiye and included 226 mothers. Among the mothers, 23.0% of the mothers smoked during pregnancy and 30.1% smoked during the breastfeeding period. Furthermore, 66.1% reported that they did not hold their baby immediately after smoking, and another 67.6% stated that they did not change their clothes after smoking. Only 32.7% of infants were placed in a supine sleeping position, 32.7% used pacifiers, and 54.9% slept on soft bedding. Co-sleeping with the infant was reported by 27.4% of the participants. While 62.8% of the mothers were aware of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the most common source of information was social media or the Internet. The findings reveal that safe sleep practices are not adequately adopted by mothers, consistent with low adherence rates reported in both national and international literature. Cultural norms, lack of formal education, and the questionable reliability of information sources appear to negatively influence mothers’ behaviors regarding infant sleep safety. These results underscore the need for structured, evidence-based educational interventions to improve awareness and adherence to safe sleep guidelines.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Pediatric Health and Illnesses Nursing
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Publication Date
April 16, 2026
Submission Date
May 14, 2025
Acceptance Date
March 16, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 35 Number: 1
APA
Erçelik, Z. E., & Aydın Yılmaz, D. (2026). Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 35(1), 149-157. https://doi.org/10.34108/eujhs.1699168
AMA
1.Erçelik ZE, Aydın Yılmaz D. Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;35(1):149-157. doi:10.34108/eujhs.1699168
Chicago
Erçelik, Zübeyde Ezgi, and Diler Aydın Yılmaz. 2026. “Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines”. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 35 (1): 149-57. https://doi.org/10.34108/eujhs.1699168.
EndNote
Erçelik ZE, Aydın Yılmaz D (April 1, 2026) Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 35 1 149–157.
IEEE
[1]Z. E. Erçelik and D. Aydın Yılmaz, “Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines”, Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 149–157, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.34108/eujhs.1699168.
ISNAD
Erçelik, Zübeyde Ezgi - Aydın Yılmaz, Diler. “Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines”. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 35/1 (April 1, 2026): 149-157. https://doi.org/10.34108/eujhs.1699168.
JAMA
1.Erçelik ZE, Aydın Yılmaz D. Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;35:149–157.
MLA
Erçelik, Zübeyde Ezgi, and Diler Aydın Yılmaz. “Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines”. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 35, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 149-57, doi:10.34108/eujhs.1699168.
Vancouver
1.Zübeyde Ezgi Erçelik, Diler Aydın Yılmaz. Do Babies Sleep Safely? Exploring Mothers’ Practices on The American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026 Apr. 1;35(1):149-57. doi:10.34108/eujhs.1699168