Safe Sleep for Your Baby

Forrest Health has initiated the Safe Sleep Program. The Safe Sleep program aims to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is defined as a sudden or unexplained death in children 12 months or younger. By taking preventative measures and educating parents and caregivers, we can continue to reduce the rate of infant mortality.

The ABCs of Safe Sleep

The ABCS of Safe Sleep are quick and easy tips to remember when putting a baby to sleep. It is recommended that these rules are followed until the baby is at least one year old.

• A: All babies need to be placed Alone in their own
• B: Babies need to be placed on their Back
• C: Babies need to sleep in their Crib, Cradle or Bassinet

Where is the Safest Place for my Baby to Sleep?

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in his or her own crib, cradle, or bassinet. If you have multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) it's important that each baby has their own bed.

• Put your baby to sleep on his back on a flat, firm surface, like a crib mattress covered with a tightly fitted sheet. Use only the mattress made for your baby’s crib. The mattress should fit snugly in the crib so there are no spaces between the mattress and the crib frame. The mattress shape should stay firm even when covered with a tightly fitted sheet or mattress cover.
• Put your baby to bed in his own crib or bassinet. Don’t bed-share. This is when babies and parents sleep together in the same bed. Bed-sharing is the most common cause of death in babies younger than 3 months old.
• Use a bassinet, crib, or play yard that meets current safety standards. Don’t use cribs with drop-side rails. Don’t try to fix a crib that has broken or missing parts. Visit U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to learn more about product safety standards or product recalls.
• Keep crib bumpers, loose bedding, toys, and other soft objects out of your baby’s crib. They can put your baby in danger of getting trapped, strangled or of suffocating.
• Don’t put your baby to sleep on a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress, or other soft surface. Portable bed rails don’t always prevent a baby from rolling out of bed, and babies can get stuck in them.

Safe Sleep Plan

A safe sleep plan for your baby is essential to an overall parenting plan. A safe sleep plan lets anyone who cares for your baby know the details for helping your baby receive the safest and best sleep possible. Grandparents, babysitters, childcare providers, older siblings, and anyone else who cares for your baby should know and be on board with your safe sleep plan. 

Download a safe sleep plan HERE.

For more information on our Safe Sleep Program and SIDS education and prevention, you can send us a message through our contact form.