Keep County Babies Sleeping Safely

LIMESTONE, Maine (WAGM) - October is Safe Sleep Month, and it’s all about protecting our youngest family members. The American Academy of Pediatrics has specific guidelines to help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. Here in the county, the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families is working to make sure new parents know these life-saving practices.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, each year in the United States, approximately 3500 infants die of sleep-related infant deaths. Sleep is a big challenge for families with babies, but following safe sleep recommendations can help prevent tragedy. Aroostook Council for Healthy Families is helping families learn how their babies can sleep safely so parents can sleep soundly.

Kirsten Young, Community Educator, for the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families says: “Well, we try to make it really easy. You can learn the ABC’s of safe sleep and so what that is, the A is that the baby should be alone. The B is they should be placed on their back every time they’re put down to sleep. The C is that they should be in their own sleep surface. The C stands for crib but it could be a bassinet, or it could be a pack and play, or some alternative to a crib, and then we also add the D onto this. The D is that they’re danger free. So, make sure that anything like medications or anything like that are not involved in the baby’s sleep.”

Young says there is one major challenge parents face when it comes to safe sleeping. “I think the biggest challenge is that every new parent is really, really tired, and so you might be up in the middle of the night feeding the baby. And maybe the second or third or fourth time they’ve woken up in an hour or two hours, it’s really hard not to fall asleep while you’re feeding the baby. And when that happens, a parent might fall asleep while holding the baby, and they might be on a recliner, they might be on the couch, they might be in another position that’s not safe for the baby. And unfortunately, that can lead to some situations where a baby might get injured, they might suffocate in the corner of a recliner or something else might happen. So that’s probably the hardest, hardest part, every new parent is really exhausted.”

The Aroostook Council for Healthy Families offers free safe sleep education and resources to new parents throughout the county. For more information on safe sleep education call Aroostook Council for Healthy Families at (207) 532-1141.