VICTORIA - The B.C. Coroner's Service says most cases of sudden infant death are related to the way babies are left to sleep.
The agency's Child Death Review Unit looked at 33 sudden infant deaths in 2005 and 2006 and found unsafe sleeping practices were a factor in 29 cases.
Unit director Kellie Kilpatrick says having other people share a bed with a baby is the number one danger.
Other risky practices include using an adult bed, couch, waterbed or air mattress and leaving a baby to sleep with loose bedding, pillows and bumper pads.
The Coroner's Service says babies should also be put to sleep on their backs in a safe crib until at least the age of one.
The service says it's critical for parents and caregivers to know they can reduce the risk of preventable death by avoiding dangerous sleep situations.
