Safe Sleep for Your Baby
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), there are around 3,500 sleep-related deaths among babies in the United States each year. Safe sleep practices are designed to reduce the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and other deaths related to unsafe sleep practices.
Thanks to safe sleep practices, sleep-related deaths like SIDS are declining. However, it is important that all health providers and parents know how to create a safe sleep environment.
Learning about safe sleep for babies is important for all caregivers, including grandparents, other family members, babysitters, childcare providers, and anyone else who might care for babies.
Best practices for safe sleep
Here are tips to help create a safer sleep environment:
- Follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep:
- Alone – baby sleeps alone, without other objects, caregivers, or siblings
- Back – baby sleeps on his/her back
- Crib – baby sleeps in his/her own sleeping space, such as a crib or a bassinet
- Until their first birthday, place your baby on their back to sleep for naps and at night.
- Place your sleeping baby on a firm sleep surface covered by a fitted sheet.
- Room-sharing is recommended - keep your baby's sleep area in the same room where you sleep for at least the first six months, but do not let your baby sleep with you or anyone else in bed.
- If your baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, or other carrier, move them to a firm sleep surface such as a crib, bassinet, or portable crib for sleep.
- Never place your baby to sleep on a couch, sofa, or armchair.
- Keep soft objects like pillows and blankets, toys and bumpers out of your baby’s sleep area.
- Breastfeed your baby (studies show babies who breastfeed have a lower risk for SUID).
Safe sleep practices at Firelands Health
The birthing centers at Firelands Regional Medical Center and The Bellevue Hospital prioritize infant safety. To protect newborns in the hospital and when they head home, we:
- Develop a safe sleep policy statement incorporating the Infant Safe Sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Train staff on safe sleep guidelines, the hospital’s safe sleep policy, and the importance of modeling safe sleep for parents.
- Educate parents on the importance of safe sleep practices and implement these practices in the hospital setting.
Firelands Center for Women & Newborns and The Bellevue Hospital Family Birthing Center are honored to be Safe Sleep Hospitals, a designation awarded to hospitals that have committed to making babies as safe as possible in their sleep environments.
Resources for Safe Sleep
Learning about safe sleep for babies is important for all caregivers, including grandparents, other family members, babysitters, childcare providers, and anyone else who might care for babies.
