October was declared Safe Sleep Month in Mo. to prevent infant sleep-related deaths. Here are some safety tips.

One-hundred and three infant deaths were reported in 2022 in Missouri, with 74% of them because of unsafe sleeping environments, according to Missouri Department of Social Services.

Sleep-related infant death is the leading cause of infant mortality from one month to one year of age.

Here are some tips, according to DSS, and the American Academy of Pediatrics at www.healthychildren.org:

• Babies are safest when they sleep alone
• Place your baby in a crib on his or her back
• Keep the baby’s sleeping area clear of soft items such as blankets, pillows, stuffed animals or crib bumpers. Pacifiers are considered safe.
• Make sure your crib mattress is designed for your specific crib and it fits tightly.
• Use fitted sheets only — nothing else should be in the crib.
• If your baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, swing, infant carrier or sling, move him or her to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as possible.
• Don’t hang a pacifier around your baby’s neck or attach it to their clothing when they’re sleeping
• It’s OK to swaddle your baby for bedtime, just make sure it’s not too tight. And when your baby is showing signs of rolling over, discontinue swaddling.

Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education through federal funding from a federal block grant has established the Safe Cribs for Missouri Program, which provides portable cribs and safe sleep education for low-income families.

The risk of sleep-related infant death is about 67% higher when babies sleep with someone on a couch or armchair, according to www.healthychildren.org.