title: The controversy about what constitutes safe and nurturant infant sleep environments.
abstract: In 1999, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that cribs provide the safest sleep environment for infants. Scientific data fails to support that statement and controversy continues in the scientific, medical, and parenting communities. Recent data demonstrate that cribs may represent the most unsafe sleep. This article seeks to inform health care professionals of the issues involved in the controversy and to offer guidelines for educating parents about safe and unsafe sleep practices.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Nursing, Knoxville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Maureen W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Groer
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001513:Beds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D015370:Infant Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016684:Prone Position; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D012890:Sleep; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016683:Supine Position