A new research has revealed that despite the fact that much more caregivers nowadays place babies on their backs when they are sleeping, as compared to earlier, a practice which drastically reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the trend to actually encourage the practice has managed to taper off since 2001.

The study has also revealed that black mother and caretakers are more likely to place sleeping babies on their stomachs, as compared to whites.

Among all races, however, the main reason for placing children on their stomach when they sleep were major concerns about infants chocking when sleeping and their comfort, as has been revealed by the study's lead author Dr. Eve Colson, while stressing that doctors and healthcare providers are most responsible to let parents and caretakers know how babies should be placed, a responsibility which is not being taken very seriously.

"There have been a couple of good studies that babies do not choke on their backs, that there are no adverse health outcomes of putting babies on their back.", said Dr. Colson. SIDS is currently recorded as the leading cause of infant deaths in the US and the study's findings have revealed that it is important to push more drives to spread better awareness about in which position babies should sleep.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and has been published in the December issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.