SIDS a Top Concern for Parents and Grandparents Alike

New York, NY - Nearly three in five parents of young children (58%) say SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - is their top concern in raising their children, according to a new study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of HALO. When asked to rank their top concern, parents' worries over SIDS far outweigh autism (19%); the flu (14%); ADD (4%); measles, mumps and rubella (3%); and polio (2%).

• Majorities of parents across demographic groups name SIDs as their biggest concern raising their child(ren).

Likewise, six in ten grandparents in their fifties and sixties also named SIDs as their top concern when they were raising their own children (60%), outranking the flu (17%), MMR (13%), autism (5%), polio (4%), and ADD (3%).

Yet despite this shared concern, parents and grandparents do not always see eye to eye when it comes to safe sleeping environments. Grandparents are more likely than parents to feel that what worked for their own children should still work for their grandchildren, as 58% agree that "babies are babies; what worked years ago when my children were babies is still fine today."

Conversely, a majority of parents (60%) disagree with the sentiment that what worked years ago when they were a baby is still fine today.

• Across generations, women are more likely to disagree than are men. Mothers are less likely than fathers to believe that what worked when they were young is still fine today (33% vs. 49% agree). Similarly, grandmothers are less likely than are grandfathers to feel this way (50% vs. 71%).

Some of these differences in opinion may relate to perceptions of the safest sleeping position for babies. While majorities of both parents and grandparents think it's best to place a baby on their back to sleep, parents are more likely to say so (77% vs. 59%). Grandparents are more likely than are parents to think a baby is safest sleeping on their side (21% vs. 12%) or their tummy (16% vs. 8%).

• Men of both generations are twice as likely as women to believe that it is best for babies to sleep on their stomachs (11% of fathers vs. 5% of mothers; 23% of grandfathers vs. 12% of grandmothers).

While both generations feel that babies are safest sleeping on their backs, many also agree that babies sleeping on their backs are at risk of choking when they spit up (45% of parents and 59% of grandparents). Grandparents are also more likely than are parents to believe that sleeping on their stomach can help a fussy or colicky baby (60% vs. 49%).

However, three quarters of both parents (74%) and grandparents (77%) agree that it is safe to let an infant sleep in a car seat.

Preparing a Baby for Bedtime

Parents and grandparents also have different views when it comes to which objects, if any, are safe to leave in a baby's crib. Among both parents and grandparents, pacifiers (47% and 43%, respectively) and bumper pads (43% and 52%) are two of the most commonly selected items.

However, grandparents are more likely than are parents to believe it is safe to have blankets (49% vs. 31%) and a baby monitor (23% vs. 12%) in the crib with the baby.

Sleep positioners get the okay from just a third of parents (32%) and a fifth of grandparents (21%). Fewer believe it is safe to leave stuffed animals (8% and 11%), a bottle (7% and 12%), pillows (7% and 8%), or toys (3% and 4%) in the crib with a sleeping baby.

In fact, over a quarter of both parents (27% and grandparents (26%) concur that none of these items should be allowed in a baby's crib.

• Generally, both fathers and grandfathers are more likely to feel that it is safe to have such items in a baby's crib than are mothers and grandmothers, particularly blankets.

Most Parents Swaddle their Baby - A Major Change from the Previous Generation

Differences also emerge when it comes to ensuring the baby is warm enough while napping or sleeping. The most common method among both parents and grandparents is to dress the baby in a warm sleeper or pajamas, cited by eight in ten. However, parents are more than twice as likely as grandparents to say that they swaddle their baby to keep them warm (56% vs. 22%).

• Similarly, four in five parents (82%) say they swaddle their baby for sleep compared to less than half of grandparents who swaddle their grandchildren (46%). Among those who do swaddle their baby or grandchild, the majority of both parents (74%) and grandparents (71%) use a baby blanket. Parents also commonly use swaddling blankets (63%) and, to a lesser extent, SleepSacks (31%). Fewer grandparents use swaddling blankets (41%) or SleepSacks (11%) to swaddle their grandchild.

Parents are also more likely than grandparents to say that they keep their baby warm during their nap or throughout the night by:

• Dressing the baby in a wearable blanket (33% vs. 17%)
• Turning up the heat in the house (29% vs. 17%)
• Dressing the baby in a cap and mittens (9% vs. 2%)
• Bringing the baby to bed with them (8% vs. 2%)

However, grandparents are more likely than parents to say that they cover the baby with blankets (38% vs. 27%). Few parents or grandparents say that they keep the baby warm by using a space heater in the baby's room (5% and 1%, respectively), or by placing plush stuffed animals in the crib for baby to snuggle (1%, 0%).

Despite Varying Views, Most Parents Comfortable Leaving their Baby with Grandparents

While many parents acknowledge these generational differences, most parents trust their parents and in-laws when it comes to putting their baby down to sleep. Four in ten parents (40%) express concern that that their parents or in-laws may not always follow their instructions about how to safely put their baby down to sleep, including a quarter (25%) who have had a disagreement about it.

However, majorities say that that they trust both their mother's (71%) and their mother-in-law's (56%) judgment as to how to safely put their baby to sleep, though trust levels are higher when it comes to leaving their baby with their own parents.

Likewise, thinking about the risk of SIDs, parents are more likely to be comfortable leaving their baby with their own parents rather than their in-laws (76% vs. 65%).

• Mothers are less likely than are fathers to feel comfortable leaving their baby with their in-laws (75% vs. 57%).

Grandparents are confident in their children's trust, as 93% say that that their son/daughter/in-law trusts their judgment about how to safely put their grandchild down to sleep. Just 6% note that they have had a disagreement with their son/daughter/in-law about it.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted August 10-16, 2010. For the survey, a national sample of 519 adults aged 18 and older with at least one child aged 2 and under was interviewed online. In addition, a national sample of 533 adults in their fifties and sixties with at least one grandchild was interviewed online. Quota sampling and weighting were employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual U.S. adult population according to Census data and to provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of approximately 500 respondents, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/-4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact: Nicolas Boyon Senior Vice President Ipsos Public Affairs 646.364.7583 [email protected]

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