Forrest General Hospital’s Women and Children’s Services to Host #CleartheCribChallege During Live@Five

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (October 1, 2024) Did you know Mississippi leads the nation in infant mortality and the rate of SIDS is at a 10-year high? Are you aware that more babies than ever are dying due to lack of safe sleep practices in the state? These are most definitely not statistics we should be proud to be of as a state.

So, what is Safe Sleep? Safe Sleep is where those caring for a child can help reduce a baby’s risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths, such as from accidental suffocation.

Forrest General Hospital’s Women and Children’s Services wants to help Hattiesburg neonatologists, pediatricians and those across the state spread the word about Safe Sleep and SIDS. On Friday, October 4, during Live@Five in Hattiesburg’s Town Square Park, Forrest General Hospital’s Women & Children’s Services will host a #CleartheCribChallenge. A booth will be set up with a crib and a variety of baby items. Those in attendance who want to participate will be asked to clear a crib of everything they deem unsafe for baby as quickly as possible. They will be timed. The person who can do it the fastest with the most correct pulls will win a gift card to Gratefull Soul in downtown Hattiesburg. Hattiesburg physicians, Drs. Randy and Anita Henderson, a neonatologist and pediatrician, respectively, as well as members of Forrest General Hospital’s Women and Children’s Services will be on hand to talk about Safe Sleep and answer questions. Flyers will also be handed out regarding Safe Sleep.

A safe sleep area means a crib with nothing in it but a firm, flat, level surface such as a mattress that fits tightly within the crib frame and is covered with a tight fitted sheet. Nothing else goes in the crib, but baby…No stuffed toys, no blankets, pillows, bumper pads, or other soft items in the crib. NOTHING. These items can lead to suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.

Objects which can increase your baby's risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation include pillows and pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters, mattress toppers, non-fitted sheets, blankets, toys, bumper pads, or related products that attach to crib slats or sides.

Parents need to know the proper crib protocol, as do any grandparents, aunt/uncles, cousins, babysitters, daycare workers, and others who might look after your child on a regular basis. Remind them, this isn’t an option, but a necessity.

“In 2021, 327 Mississippi babies died before their first birthday,” said Anita Henderson, MD, a Hattiesburg pediatrician, and immediate past president of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Sadly, that is almost one baby every day. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the third leading cause of death in infants behind prematurity and birth defects. A safe sleep environment is critical to preventing accidental smothering and suffocation, and SIDS. We want families and caregivers to know that babies need to sleep in a safe space every nap, every night, every time!”

Dr. Henderson offers the following tips to provide your baby a safe night’s sleep.

• Babies should also never sleep on an adult bed, couch, or armchair by themselves, with others, or with pets. This is particularly dangerous if an adult falls asleep on the infant while feeding them or trying to comfort them. The risk of sleep-related infant death is up to 67 times higher when infants sleep with someone on a couch, soft armchair, or cushion.
• It is also recommended that you not let a child sleep in a car seat, stroller, or other sitting devices that are not designed for a baby sleep area or nap space. Babies should be moved to their regular sleep space as soon as possible.
• SIDS is not associated with any sounds or movements, so there is nothing to alert a parent before it happens, so they might take action.
• According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, when you place a child in their crib, they should be placed on their backs to sleep. This should take place until they are at least one year old. This is the safest sleep position.
• If your baby usually sleeps on their back, putting them on the stomach or side to sleep, like for a nap, increases the risk for SIDS by up to 45 times.
• Once babies can roll from back to stomach and from stomach to back on their own, you can leave them in the position they choose after starting sleep on their back. If they can roll one way on their own, you can reposition them to their back if they roll onto their stomach during sleep.
• Breastfeed your baby, if possible. This should go on for at least the baby’s first six months, and longer if possible. Breastfeeding offers a reduced risk of SIDS. You can offer a baby a pacifier for naps and at night once they are feeding well.
• You should share a room with baby for at least the first six months. This doesn’t mean they should sleep in the bed with you. Babies should have their own sleep space, whether a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard, in your room. The AAP recommends room sharing because it can decrease the risk of SIDS by as much as 50% and it's much safer than bed sharing. Room sharing will also make it easier for you to feed, comfort and watch your baby.
• Avoid letting baby get too hot and keep baby’s head and face uncovered during sleep. If you're worried about your baby getting cold, dress them in layers of clothing or use a wearable blanket. In general, you should dress your baby in only one layer more than you're wearing.
• Babies who are put to sleep on their backs are less likely to choke. A baby's airway anatomy and gag reflex will keep that from happening. Even babies with GERD should sleep flat on their backs.
• Any surface that inclines more than 10 degrees isn't safe for your baby to sleep on.

While there are no guaranteed ways to prevent SIDS, research tells us that a safe sleep environment lowers the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths and can help reduce your baby's risk of SIDS.

For more information about Forrest General Hospital’s Women & Children’s Services, visit https://www.forresthealth.org/services/womens-childrens/