Motherhood: Safe Sleeping for Baby

 By Deborah C. Gerbers

Infant mortality, defined as the death of a child before the age of one, is one of those terrifying tragedies that we think can never happen here, to us, or to our babies. But according to the Indiana Department of Health, statistics show that of the 559 Indiana infant deaths in 2018, 69 occurred in the Northeastern Hospital Region (in.gov). Additionally, Parkview Health reports that Indiana has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the United States.

“According to 2017 data, the infant mortality rate in Indiana is 7.3, compared to the national rate of 5.8” on Parkview.com.

There is good news, however: by better educating parents in our community and offering local resources for safe sleeping practices, these deaths can be reduced and even prevented entirely.

According to Meg Distler, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, local care providers almost all are now involved in educating new parents on what science and research have shown as best practices. “It is most easily described as the ABCs of safe sleep,” she said. This acronym stands for: a place for baby to sleep alone, on his/her back, and in a crib.

New parents might believe that co-sleeping in the same bed as baby is safer because they are closer and within reach, but this is actually a dangerous practice. The chances of rolling over and smothering the baby are much higher than you’d expect. And what about all those adorable soft crib bumpers, baby blankets and stuffed animals? Those are also a no-no, according to experts. Cribs should have a flat mattress with a fitted sheet, and nothing else that could pose a suffocation risk.

Distler says that providers are in the process of committing to use similar messaging to build education efforts and reinforcing that messaging. Resources like the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation have created informative handouts for community partners in order to spread the word about safe sleeping practices.

Over the years, safe sleep practices have continually changed and evolved based on research and doctors’ recommendations. Your mother may have put you to sleep on your stomach for better sleep, while your first child may have had a stabilizing crib pillow to prevent sudden infant death, but the most recent recommendations are for babies to sleep alone, on their backs, in a crib that is free of pillows and blankets. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “back to sleep” is the safest for baby every time he or she sleeps. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:

• Infants should be placed for sleep in a supine position (wholly on the back) for every sleep by every caregiver until the child reaches 1 year of age. 
• Side sleeping is not safe and is not advised.
• Skin-to-Skin is recommended for all mothers and newborns, regardless of feeding or delivery method, immediately following birth (as soon as the mother is medically stable and awake) for at least an hour. Thereafter, or when the mother needs to sleep or take care of other needs, infants should be placed supine in a bassinet.
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American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org)

Distler reinforces the importance for new parents, especially, to reach out to local resources for help, information and supplies.

“We have a free printed directory of local prenatal and infant resources (updated for 2021) that can be found at sjchf.org/directories. Most of the resources can also be found online at healthcaredirectory.org,” she said.

Resource:

St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, sjchf.org

INFANT MORTALITY FACTS

• Infant mortality is defined as the death of a baby before his or her first birthday.

• The infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of babies who die in the first year of life, per 1,000 live births.

• Of the 559 Indiana infant deaths in 2018, 69 occurred in the Northeastern Hospital Region.

• Non-Hispanic black infants are 2.2 times more likely to die than Non-Hispanic white infants in Indiana.

PRACTICES TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY

• Improve overall health for women of child-bearing age.

• Promote early & adequate prenatal care.

• Decrease early elective deliveries before 39 weeks.

• Decrease prenatal smoking & substance use.

• Increase breastfeeding duration & exclusivity.

• Support birth spacing & interconception wellness.

• Promote the ABC’s of safe sleep: place baby to sleep alone, on his or her back, in a crib.

(Information provided by the Indiana State Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, in.gov)