Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that parents place infants supine for sleeping, many mothers do not do so, according to the results of the Study of Attitudes and Factors Affecting Infant Care.
In 32 hospitals, 3,297 mothers were surveyed to determine their intentions, the actual infant sleeping position used, and the factors that affected their behaviors. Of those, 2,491 (77%) reported that they usually place their infants in supine position, but only 49% reported that they exclusively place their infants supine. In addition, 14% reported that they place infants on their sides and 8% prone, reported Eve R. Colson, MD, of the department of pediatrics at Yale University, New Haven, Conn., and her coauthors (Pediatrics. 2017. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-0596).
Several other discrepancies in compliance with the AAP recommendation also were noted. African American mothers were more likely to intend to use prone position, compared with white mothers (adjusted odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-3.85). Those who did not complete high school were also more likely to intend to use the prone position (aOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.16-3.73). On the other hand, those who received recommendation-compliant advice from a doctor were less likely to place their infants in the prone (aOR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.39-0.93) or side (aOR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.36-0.67) positions.
“Of particular note, those who reported that their social norms supported placing the infant in the prone position were much more likely to do so, compared with those who felt that their social norms supported using only the supine position (aOR, 11.6; 95% CI, 7.24-18.7). And, most remarkably, those who had positive attitudes about the prone sleep position ... were more likely to choose the prone position (aOR, 130; 95% CI, 71.8-236),” the researchers wrote. These findings indicate that choices in infant sleeping position are directly influenced by attitudes toward the choice, subjective social norms, and perceptions about control.
“These beliefs persist and are potentially modifiable, so they should be considered an important part of any intervention to change practice,” Dr. Colson and her colleagues wrote.
The study was a nationally representative sample of mothers of infants aged 2-6 months. Although the data were taken from patient surveys, which could have been misreported, they are supported by the findings of other studies.
“Maternal race and education continue to be factors associated with choice of infant sleeping position as does advice from a doctor. Factors that appear to be of equal or greater importance are those related to attitudes, subjective social norms, and perceived control, all of which can potentially be altered through educational interventions,” Dr. Colson and her colleagues concluded.
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institutes of Health funded the study. The authors reported no financial disclosures.