October marks infant safe sleep awareness month
(CBS DETROIT) - October marks infant safe sleep awareness month. From 2009-2019, 1,436 babies died in Michigan from sleep-related deaths.
When it comes to putting your child down for a nap or when at bedtime, MDHHS chief medical executive Natasha Bagdasarian says the less, the better. In a crib, she advises against plush toys, blankets, bumpers or other items often marketed to be put in a crib.
Bagdasarian recalled times shopping for her baby and debunked the myth that really anything belongs in crib for a baby that is a newborn until over 1 year old.
"There are many things that are sold that are not really recommended for infants who are under a year old. So we recommend putting infants in environments without a lot of those without a lot of those soft, really fun items that you can buy for infants," Bagdasarian said.
Additonal recommendations for safe sleeping include the following:
- Place baby on their back, on a non-inclined sleep surface, such as a crib, bassinet or pack 'n play, with no other people.
- Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet.
- Keep baby's sleep space clutter-free without pillows, blankets or toys.
- Avoid covering baby's head or overheating baby. Instead of a blanket, use a sleep sack, wearable blanket or footed sleeper to keep baby warm.
- Keep baby in a smoke-free environment.
- Support breastfeeding and immunizations.