BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Health and Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services joined Gov. Jeff Landry in reminding parents and caregivers that a safe sleep environment can help prevent unexpected infant deaths. 

About 90 babies die in their sleep each year due to their sleep environment in Louisiana, according to LDH, with 70% of sleep-related infant deaths from 2021 through 2023 occurring before the infant was 4 months old. 

“Babies should sleep on their backs, in their own safe sleep space, on a firm, flat surface with nothing else in the crib," said Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Evelyn Griffin. "Parents and caregivers should also pay attention to what their baby is exposed to, and tell their baby's doctor about any concerning changes in their health or behavior.

Some other practices that help keep babies safe include moving sleeping babies out of car seats and swings, keeping babies away from tobacco smoke, sharing safe sleep practices with everyone who cares for the child and being mindful of medications and substances that can cause drowsiness or impairment, as it could make it harder for the caregiver to stay alert.