How to Ensure Safe Sleep While Traveling for the Holidays

As families prepare to travel for the holidays, experts are reminding parents about the critical importance of safe sleep practices for infants, even when away from home.

According to Natalie Wilzbacher, Pediatric Nurse Educator with Peyton Manning Children's Hospital Evansville and Child Fatality Reviewer with the Vanderburgh County Health Department, unsafe sleep practices remain the number one cause of preventable death in children under the age of 18 in Vanderburgh County, prompting calls for parents to prioritize preparation.

"The biggest thing a parent can do is prepare," Wilzbacher says. "Parents need to ensure they will be able to model a safe sleep environment for their baby while away from home just as they would if they were at home."

Wilzbacher emphasizes that while the environment might look different, perhaps a portable crib or playard instead of a standard bassinet, the ABC's of safe sleep must be upheld. This means the baby should be Alone in their sleep space, on their Back for every nap and night, and in a Crib, bassinet, or playard.

"Infants need their own sleep space and should not be placed in the bed with another person," Wilzbacher says.

While standard cribs or portable cribs are the recommended choice, Wilzbacher acknowledges travelers may occasionally find themselves in a bind. In these short-term situations, a firm, flat space is essential.

"This could be as simple as a laundry basket," she suggests, or even a dresser drawer removed from the dresser and placed on the floor. However, she stresses there are dangerous items to avoid. "Parents need to stay away from blow up mattresses or portable mattresses," Wilzbacher warns, noting their ability to lose air and pose a suffocation risk. "Do not place the infant on a pile of blankets or pillows. Again, the space should be both firm and flat."

Additionally, products not intended for sleep, such as swings and bouncers, should not be used as sleep environments. "Routine practice should be to move the sleeping infant to a safe sleep space when he/she falls asleep," Wilzbacher advises.

When it comes to comfort items, the message is clear: the sleep space must be clutter-free. Asked about allowing a baby to sleep with a familiar blanket or stuffed animal for comfort while traveling, Wilzbacher's answer was firm. "The simple answer is no. No blankets or stuffed animals or any other soft objects." A pacifier is acceptable, provided it is not attached to a string or clip.

The local impact of unsafe sleep is sobering. "We have had 14 infant deaths attributed to unsafe sleep practices in the last 5 years," Wilzbacher revealed. Just last August, 18 babies across the state of Indiana were lost due to unsafe sleep practices.

Wilzbacher also addresses the common challenge of conflicting advice from previous generations. "This is a barrier that we do see when educating parents," she notes, but points to the progress made since the 1994 "Back to Sleep" campaign. "What I often tell people is that we now know better, so we do better. In other words, the message has changed because the evidence has changed."

Following current guidelines, such as placing an infant on their back on a firm sleep surface, can significantly reduce the risk of infant death.