According to a statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), many parents are not following safe infant sleep practices.

Annually, 4,000 babies die unexpectedly during sleep time from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation or mysterious causes. To prevent deaths during sleep time, the AAP strongly advises parents to place babies on their backs and avoid sharing a bed.

Researchers surveyed 1,030 mothers from 32 hospital across the U.S. When infants were 2-6 months of age, mothers answered a questionnaire quizzing them about infant care practices, including bed sharing and infant sleeping position.

The findings revealed parents do not always follow guidelines to lower the risk of sleep-related infant death. They also showed that high-risk sleeping behaviors are more common among black and Hispanic families.

Overall, 18.5 percent of mothers reported sharing a bed with their infant. In addition, approximately 10 percent of all mothers regularly place their babies to sleep on their stomachs. The rate was highest among blacks followed by whites and Hispanics.

“There appears to be more that can be done to provide safe environments for infants while they sleep,” posited lead author Eve R. Colson, MD, MHPE, FAAP, professor of pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine.