The transition through adolescence can be a challenging journey for most teens. Becoming a parent during adolescence is an additional transition. After the birth of a new baby, an adolescent shifts from being parented to becoming a parent who can plan appropriately, assert one's voice, and assess risk for their own child. This adaptation, however, is often met with substantial obstacles and challenges. Many parenting youth have experienced numerous negative health care encounters that contribute to disengagement and mistrust of the health care system, encouraging them to seek information from sources outside of healthcare providers.

A qualitative study of new mothers found that images of sleeping infants and infant sleep environments, as found in photographs, television, and social media platforms, were one of the most consistent influences on their decisions about how infants slept at home. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to these images, especially when posted by peers who are strong influencers during this stage of brain development. Adolescents may rely on their parents or other family members for their infants’ care and find themselves waffling between accepting “Grandma knows best” , peer influences, and their own instincts. Those providing safe sleep counseling may inadvertently direct their guidance towards an adolescent’s parent, leaving adolescents excluded from effective safe sleep messaging, adolescent appropriate conversations, and situationally specific solutions.

This workshop will review adolescent brain development and the importance of appropriate adolescent discussions when reviewing safe sleep recommendations. We will review quotes from teen parents regarding barriers to safe sleep, highlighting the importance of engaging teens in discussions and solutions regarding infant safe sleep. Lastly, we will discuss the importance of recognizing cultural influences on safe sleep practices and historical challenges teen parents face when trying to reorganize these deeply embedded familial structures. To engage adolescents and young adults in health care, practitioners are encouraged to consider their own biases when serving this population. Together we must work towards fostering a positive, nonjudgmental approach, thereby providing supportive environments for our young parents to thrive.

1. Review data on SUID in infants with adolescent parents in temporary housing situations

2. Review adolescent brain development and its importance in adolescent specific messaging to parenting youth

3. Highlight challenges adolescent and young adult parents face when following safe sleep recommendations

4. Provide strategies to aid in discussions about safe sleep practices in parenting youth