PUT BABY ON HER BACK, SAYS THE SURGEON GENERAL

Babies one year and younger should sleep on their back, not on their stomach, according to the new "Back to Sleep" campaign unveiled today by Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders. The government's official stance on the long-running tummy-vs.-back debate contradicts the most common advice given by pediatricians. But the Surgeon General's call is supported by recent research that has shown a decrease in the number of cases of sudden-infant-death syndrome (SIDS) in countries where parents were urged to keep their kids on their sides or back. In the U.S., SIDS cases number 6,000 annually. Child-care expert Dr. Benjamin Spock told TIME Daily that the conventional wisdom on this issue has frequently flip-flopped over the years. Advice from America's Baby Doctor emeritus: Parents should accept the new evidence and abide by it, but realize that placing babies on their back is no guarantee of safety.