I've been reading the recent articles regarding shaken infant injuries. I've also been watching with concern over the years the mandate new parents are given to only allow babies to sleep on their backs, and I wonder if there's a connection.

Many babies are natural stomach sleepers, and do not sleep well on their backs. This mandate that babies only sleep on their backs can result in tired, irritable babies and tired, frustrated parents. I truly believe this mandate should be changed to a best-practice recommendation. I do agree with several other recommendations that can reduce the number of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome cases, such as the parent(s) not drinking alcohol or using other sedating substances that can pass through breast milk or interfere with the ability to respond to the needs of the baby, and keeping loose bedding away from babies' faces.

I've known of many exhausted parents who have resorted to secretly allowing their baby to sleep peacefully on its stomach, but they're left with a lot of guilt they don't deserve. I wonder if this mandate might be contributing to some cases of child abuse for those babies who just can't sleep on their backs, despite their parents' best efforts.

Lynn Niebuhr, Kennewick