Ascension St. Vincent’s promotes safer infant sleep in Northeast Florida

During Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month in October, Ascension St. Vincent's is reminding parents, grandparents and caregivers that a few consistent steps can help create a safer sleep environment for babies.

Ascension St. Vincent's Southside and Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County have achieved Gold-level certification through the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program. The recognition reflects the hospitals' commitment to educating families, modeling safe sleep practices and helping reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, accidental suffocation and other sleep-related infant deaths.

Remember the ABCs of safe sleep

Parents and caregivers can start with three important steps for every nap and nighttime sleep:

• Alone: Babies should sleep in their own separate sleep space.
• Back: Place your baby on their back at the beginning of every sleep.
• Crib: Use a safety-approved crib, bassinet or play yard with a firm, flat sleep surface and only a fitted sheet.

Keep pillows, loose blankets, crib bumpers, wedges, toys, stuffed animals and other soft objects out of the sleep space.

Parents can share a room with their baby without sharing a bed. Placing the baby's crib, bassinet or play yard near the caregiver's bed can make feeding, comforting and monitoring easier while providing the baby with a separate place to sleep.

Back for every sleep

Babies should be placed on their backs at the beginning of every sleep, including naps and nighttime.

Once a baby can roll independently from back to stomach and stomach to back, caregivers do not need to reposition them. Continue placing the baby on their back when putting them down to sleep and keep the sleep space clear.

More ways to support safer sleep

Breastfeeding or feeding human milk is associated with a reduced risk of sleep-related infant death. Offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime may also help reduce the risk of SIDS. If breastfeeding, parents should wait until breastfeeding is well established before introducing a pacifier.

Never attach a pacifier to clothing, blankets, strings or stuffed toys while a baby sleeps. If the pacifier falls out after the baby falls asleep, it does not need to be replaced.

Families should also keep the baby's home, car and surroundings smoke- and vape-free and ask grandparents, babysitters and other caregivers to follow the same safe sleep practices.

If a baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, swing or other sitting device, move the baby to a crib, bassinet or play yard with a firm, flat sleep surface when it is safe to do so. Sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.

Parents should also avoid overheating their baby during sleep and avoid weighted blankets, weighted sleep clothing and products marketed as reducing the risk of SIDS.

Every sleep counts

Safe sleep practices should be followed during every nap and every nighttime sleep, whether a baby is at home, traveling or staying with another caregiver.

Consistent safe sleep practices can help parents and caregivers create a safer sleep environment throughout a baby's first year.

Learn more about infant safe sleep: Ascension Safe Sleep Resources

Families can also learn more about maternity and newborn care at Ascension St. Vincent's Southside and Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County.

Find a pediatrician near you: ascension.org/StVincentsPediatrics