By Deborah Raines, PhD, EdS, RN, ANEF
Published January 30, 2017 This content is archived.
When the temperature drops, who doesn’t want to curl up in bed under a soft fluffy blanket with lots of pillows and take a nap?
In 2014, during a very cold January in Buffalo, six infants died in their sleep (Office of the Commissioner of Health, 2014). Some of these infants were sleeping with a parent in an adult bed, sleeping face down, or found with their face covered by extra blankets placed in the crib – common behaviors well-intentioned parents use to keep their infant warm when the temperature drops.
But stop.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines for safe infant sleep positions, commonly referred to as the ABCs of safe sleep. Infants should be:
When the temperature drops, the solution to keeping infants warm during sleep is not more blankets or sleeping in an adult bed. Some ways to use the ABCs of safe sleep and keep baby warm are to:
To educate new parents and the community, University at Buffalo School of Nursing and the nursing leadership at Sisters of Charity Hospital collaborated to produce a Safe Sleep Baby video for new parents, grandparents and infant caregivers. It’s an easily-accessible reminder about how to best keep your baby safe and warm – so share this important resource with friends, family, babysitters and anyone else caring for an infant.
And remember – even when it is cold outside – Safe Sleep Baby!