OCTOBER IS ‘NATIONAL INFANT SAFE SLEEP AWARENESS MONTH;’ NYC REMINDS CAREGIVERS THAT THE SAFEST WAY TO PUT INFANTS TO SLEEP IS: ON THEIR BACKS & IN A CRIB WITHOUT BLANKETS, PILLOWS, OR TOYS
Throughout October, New York City Recognizes National Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month and Reminds Families To Create A Safe Sleep Environment For Their Infants
Editor’s note: We’ve covered Safe Sleep Awareness Month in the past as well as other tips for keeping babies and families safe. Halloween fun and poison risk awareness were other topics ACS has discussed.
New York, NY: In recognition of October as “National Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month,” ACS is reminding New Yorkers that babies should always sleep alone on their backs and in a safety-approved crib – whether sleeping through the night or taking a nap.
“Welcoming a new family member is one of life’s most precious joys. During Safe Sleep Awareness Month, it’s crucial to assess your baby’s sleep environment, ensuring they sleep alone on their backs in cribs without blankets, stuffed animals or other clutter,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, Anne Williams-Isom. “By creating a secure sleep space, you’ll not only protect your little one but also gain peace of mind, allowing the whole family to rest easier and nurturing your family’s well-being one peaceful nap and restful night at a time.”
“No family should have to experience the heartbreaking loss of their infant child. To prevent one of the most common reasons for infant death, we are reminding parents and families about how to put an infant safely to sleep,” said Jess Dannhauser, ACS Commissioner. “Babies are safest when they sleep on their backs, in cribs or bassinets, without toys, blankets, or any other loose items.”
Throughout October, ACS’s Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention is hosting information and resource fairs across the city to promote infant safe sleep and to raise awareness among families and communities about sleep-related risks. ACS will provide information and resources to keep babies safe. At the Resource Fairs, ACS staff will conduct crib demonstrations that simulate a safe sleeping environment for infants and distribute information and resources to support families to adopt strategies to keep infants up to a year old safe while sleeping.
All babies younger than 1 year are at risk of dying from a sleep-related injury. Most deaths related to infant sleeping are preventable. Below are some ways in which families can create a safe sleep environment for their babies:
- Avoid bringing the baby into bed with you, even if you think it will keep the baby warmer. If parents are worried about their baby getting cold, dress them in a wearable blanket, such as a sleep sack, or in another layer of infant clothing. If you have a heating problem in your home that your landlord hasn’t fixed, call 311.
- A baby should never sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair with anyone. Babies can suffocate if another person unintentionally rolls on top of them or covers their nose and mouth or, more commonly, if their baby rolls into a sleeping adult and is unable to roll away.
- Keep soft objects, loose bedding, or any other items that could increase the risk of suffocation out of the baby’s sleeping area.
- Place babies on their backs to sleep. Babies breathe better on their backs than on their stomachs or sides.
- Put babies to bed in a flat, firm sleep surface with a fitted sheet made for that specific product. Though it might seem more comfortable to put a pillow on top of the mattress, babies are at a higher risk of suffocating on the soft surface.
- Avoid smoke exposure during pregnancy and after birth. Babies exposed to cigarette smoke during pregnancy or after birth are at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related infant deaths. If you smoke, learn about resources available to help you quit.
For more information on infant safe sleep best practices or resources in your community, visit: nyc.gov/safesleep. You can also call 311 and ask for Safe Sleep.
Banner Image: Baby sleeping. Image Credit – Ryan Stone
