Final answer:
The correct answer is option C. back.
Step-by-step explanation:
Doctors recommend that for safety reasons, infants should be placed on their backs when put to sleep. This recommendation is largely due to efforts to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is a condition where an infant stops breathing during sleep and subsequently dies. Infants younger than 12 months are at the highest risk for SIDS, especially boys, and several risk factors have been identified, including prematurity, exposure to secondhand smoke, and sleeping on the stomach.
Research suggests that infants should not only sleep on their backs but also that their cribs should be free of potential suffocation hazards, such as blankets, pillows, or padded crib bumpers.
Additionally, infants should not have caps placed on their heads to avoid the risk of overheating. These practices have been linked to a decrease in the number of infant deaths from SIDS. It is important for the health and well-being of infants to follow these sleep guidelines.