Floortje Kanits, a sleep safety researcher at Wageningen University & Research, analyzed five hundred Instagram photos with hashtags related to baby sleep. Her findings indicate that only six of the analyzed photos met safe sleep guidelines, less than 2 percent.
- Floortje Kanits analyzed 500 Instagram photos.
- Only six photos met safe sleeping guidelines.
- SIDS cases increased from 25 in 2006 to 36 in 2022.
- Babies should sleep on their backs in empty cribs.
- Social media influences parents' views on safe sleeping.
- Risk of SIDS is 2.5 times higher in childcare settings.
The number of babies who die from SIDS has risen sharply. In 2022, there were 36 cases, up from 25 per year since 2006. This trend continued with 41 in 2023 and 37 in 2024.
The cause of SIDS is generally unknown, and research is not mandatory, requiring parental consent in one out of three cases. Mieke Cotterink, a child safety expert at VeiligheidNL, noted that this makes it difficult to identify reasons for the increase.
Babynestjes
Cotterink mentioned that one suspected reason for the increase is the number of social media images depicting unsafe sleep situations. She emphasized that the first rule for very young babies is to sleep on their backs and the second is to have an empty crib.
Kanits analyzed Instagram images based on four sleep recommendations: sleeping on the back, an empty crib, having a separate bed, and sleeping in a sleep sack. One in three photos showed the baby sleeping on their stomach, and two out of three did not depict a separate bed.
Kanits explained that back sleeping is crucial as babies who start to roll can turn onto their stomachs but often cannot roll back. An empty crib minimizes the risk of suffocation.
Samen slapen
Co-sleeping is another known risk factor for SIDS due to pillows and blankets in the parental bed. Cases of SIDS that are investigated show a higher proportion of babies who slept in bed with parents.
The images analyzed by Kanits were from young parents, influencers, and companies like baby brand Prénatal. Accounts with many followers influence perceptions of what is considered “normal.”
Kanits also researched where young parents obtain information about safe sleeping. They increasingly use social media rather than traditional channels like health care services. Cotterink noted that traditional channels face significant pressure due to staff shortages.
The risk of SIDS is two and a half times greater in child care settings compared to home. Cotterink stated that it is safer to delay the transition from home to care, but short parental leave in the Netherlands often does not allow for this.
Originally reported by www.nrc.nl as “Toename in wiegendood: ouders halen informatie vaker van sociale media dan van deskundigen” on 2025-09-24 20:12:00.
