This September (like every September) is Infant Mortality Awareness Month – a time for us to shine a spotlight on the issue we’re passionate about every day. Infant mortality is a devastating problem in the Bootheel, with more than 140 babies from six Missouri counties (Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott and Stoddard) lost in the last nine years.

Almost everyone in the Bootheel has encountered infant mortality in some form – whether as a family member, neighbor or just seeing a report on the local news. Even if you’re not directly connected, the community around you declines when babies are lost.

Resolve to make a difference for your community this month by helping save infants’ lives. Here are a few practical ways you can do that.

Get the facts about infant mortality

The first step is educating yourself on this issue and how losing babies affects your community. Our website BootheelBabies.org has a lot of great information focused specifically on the Bootheel, so you’ll know how to start a conversation about infant mortality in your area.

We recommend starting at BootheelBabies.org/the-problem/ to see firsthand why this issue is important.

Share info

Bootheel Babies & Families is all over the internet – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. We frequently share information related to our mission, along with tips for safe sleep, prenatal care, child safety and more. By following us on any or all of these pages and sharing our posts, you’ll help spread our message and provide others with valuable info for their babies.

September is a good time to start sharing, as we’ll be posting info focused on infant mortality all month long.

Learn your ABC’S

No, we don’t mean the kind you learned in elementary school. We’re talking about the ABC’S of Safe Sleep: Babies sleep best

  • Alone, on their
  • Back, in a
  • Crib, or other
  • Safe Sleep Surface

This method of putting babies to bed is proven to significantly reduce their risk of suffocation and SIDS, making it crucial for everyone to know. And it only takes a few minutes to commit to memory.

Thank you for supporting our cause. Like us on Facebook to stay up to date with current information on infant mortality.