Evaluation of Bedtime Basics for Babies: A National Crib Distribution Program to Reduce the Risk of Sleep-Related Sudden Infant Deaths.

Rates of sleep-related infant deaths have remained stagnant in recent years. Although most parents are aware of safe sleep recommendations, barriers to adherence, including lack of access to a safe crib, remain. The objective of this study was to describe parental knowledge and practices regarding infant sleep position, bedsharing, pacifier use, and feeding practices before and after receipt of a free crib and safe sleep education. Bedtime Basics for Babies (BBB) enrolled high-risk families in Washington, Indiana, and Washington, DC and provided them with cribs and safe sleep education. Parents completed surveys before ('prenatal' and 'postnatal') and 1-3 months after crib receipt ('follow-up'). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were completed. 3,303 prenatal, 1,483 postnatal, and 1,729 follow-up surveys were collected. Parental knowledge of recommended infant sleep position improved from 76 % (prenatal) and 77 % (postnatal) to 94 % after crib receipt ( p < 0.001). Intended use of supine positioning increased from 84 % (prenatal) and 80 % (postnatal) to 87 % after the intervention ( p < 0.001). Although only 8 % of parents intended to bedshare when asked prenatally, 38 % of parents receiving the crib after the infant's birth reported that they had bedshared the night before. This decreased to 16 % after the intervention. Ninety percent reported that the baby slept in a crib after the intervention, compared with 51 % postnatally ( p < 0.01). BBB was successful in changing knowledge and practices in the majority of high-risk participants with regards to placing the infant supine in a crib for sleep. Crib distribution and safe sleep education positively influence knowledge and practices about safe sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]