There are four tips parents and caregivers can follow to help babies sleep safely: (1) place baby on his or her back to sleep, (2) use a firm sleep surface such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, (3) keep soft objects like pillows and loose bedding out of baby’s sleep area, and (4) have baby share your room, not your bed. Following these tips can help prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation, and other sleep-related deaths.
“Safe sleep practices have already led to fewer infant deaths but there are still too many” Schuyler County Public Health Director Marcia Kasprzyk said. “County residents can learn more about safe sleep practices, preparing baby food, how to use a breast pump, and child safety at the Schuyler Parents’ Corner. Parents’ Corner can be found at the Watkins Glen Public Library the fist Wednesday each month and at the Family Play and Resource Center in Montour Falls the third Friday of each month from 10am to 11am.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while sleep-related deaths among U.S. babies have declined since 1990, about 3,500 still die each year due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation, and from unknown causes. The New York State Department of Health estimates about 90 deaths due to sleep-related causes each year in the State.
Schuyler County Public Health's mission is to protect and empower the community to be safe, healthy and prepared. Schuyler County Public Health’s vision is a connected community of healthy people and safe places.
For more information, visit Schuyler County Public Health online at www.schuylercounty.us/publichealth or follow Schuyler County Public Health on Facebook and Twitter.