Parents can get ready for bringing a new baby home from the hospital by thinking and talking about the importance of SLEEP! Babies need sleep, parents need sleep, and caregivers AND parents alike need to have good information about putting a baby down to sleep safely.
Before the baby arrives, parents should plan where the baby will sleep. Babies should always be put down to sleep in a bassinet, crib, or pack and play and never in a shared bed, sleeping on a parent, or on a couch or chair. That bassinet, crib, or pack and play should be placed in the parent’s bedroom. This makes it easy to respond to the baby’s feeding cues during the night and easy to put them right back in the crib, even if they wake several times in a night. Babies should be in a safe sleeping environment for every nap, every night, and with every caregiver. Parents should always use, and teach others about, the ABCDs of Safe Sleep.
A is for ALONE.
Babies should always be placed in a crib, pack and play, or bassinet made just for them. Babies should be ALONE; without siblings, parents, stuffed animals, blankets, or pillows in the crib.
B is for BACK.
Babies should be put on their BACK to sleep every time! As babies get older, they may become strong enough to roll on their own. Even then, parents should still practice BACK to sleep for every nap and night-time, and with every caregiver or at daycare.
C is for CRIB.
Babies should be in a crib that is up to date on safety guidelines. A bassinet or pack and play is also a safe place for the baby to sleep. Babies sleep well on a firm mattress or pack and play surface.
D is for DON’T SMOKE around the baby.
Cigarette smoke, vape fumes and marijuana smoke can all increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) when the smoke is present in the home with the baby. Babies are also affected by exposure to third-hand smoke, which is when tobacco or other products leave residue on clothing or furniture after the smoke has dissipated.
Safe Sleep is a serious concern in Pennsylvania where about 7% of infant deaths occur as a result of unsafe sleep practices. Every year about 1500 babies in the United States die after being placed to sleep in a way that makes it difficult for them to breathe, and many of those deaths can be prevented by using the ABCDs of Safe Sleep.
Family Village cares a lot about Safe Sleep in Delaware County. Three of our staff are certified Safe Sleep Ambassadors, and our team runs a Cribs for Kids program to help make sure that every family has access to a Safe Sleep environment for their baby, even in case of emergencies such as a house fire, living in a shelter, or fleeing a domestic violence situation.
If you do not have a safe place for your new baby to sleep, please talk to your healthcare provider, your insurance company, or another community provider to request a referral to Cribs for Kids in Delaware County.
To learn more about Safe Sleep for yourself or for staff in a Delaware County organization, please reach out to our Education Specialist and Cribs for Kids Coordinator, Skyla Van Trikt. You can also print our Safe Sleep flyer and place it on your fridge, share it with other people who watch your baby such as relatives or childcare providers, or give it to another new parent.
We all play a role in preventing infant deaths in Delaware County. Please remember and share the ABCDs of Safe Sleep to help reduce the risks of SIDS and to help make sure every baby and their parents have a safe night of sleep.