We’ve all seen the store displays or the photos in magazines showcasing beautiful cribs overflowing with bedding, bumper pads, pillows, stuffed toys and more. It may make a pretty picture, but it can be a deadly combination in real life.
Not only are those things unnecessary for your infant, they can actually be suffocation hazards that lead to infant death. More than 200 babies have died in Missouri’s Bootheel since 2004 – most of them from unsafe sleep habits.
That’s why it’s critical for parents and all infant caregivers to know the ABC’S of Safe Sleep:
Babies sleep best: Alone, on their Backs, in a Crib or other safe Sleep Surface.
So what makes a safe sleep surface? A firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet is the first step. Also, avoid blankets, crib bumpers, pillow and stuffed toys. Those all represent suffocation hazards to babies under the age of one year.
Do you or someone you know need help creating a safe sleep environment for a baby? Let us know.
