 LOS ANGELES--------------- Many adults don't know that certain sleep practices increase a baby's risk of injury and even death. To alert the public of these dangers and help keep babies safe, Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy D. Baca and Chief Medical Coroner Lakshamanan Satyavagiswaran announced a new "Safe Sleep Tips for Your Baby" brochure now available to parents, grandparents and caregivers. Click here to see the text in the brochure. Click here to download a pdf of the brochure.
Also participating in the news conference were First 5 LA Commissioners Jonathan E. Fielding, director of Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health, and Deanne Tilton, executive director of the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Council on Abuse and Neglect (ICAN), as well as Trish Ploehn, director of the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services and Dr. Carol Berkowitz, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The new brochure will be distributed to birthing hospitals, clinics and various county agencies. It may also be requested by calling the First 5 LA Parent Helpline 1-888-First5-LA (1-888-347-7855) or downloading it from the First 5 LA Web site at www.First5la.org. Safe Sleep Tips for Your Baby: - Your baby should always sleep on his or her back for naps and at night. The back sleep position is the safest. Make sure anyone who takes cares of your baby knows this.
- Keep your baby's sleep area close to, but separate from, where you and others sleep. Your baby should not sleep in a bed or on a couch or chair with adults or other children. If you bring the baby to bed with you to breastfeed, return him or her to a separate sleep area - crib, bassinet or cradle.
- Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as on a safety-approved crib mattress covered by a fitted sheet. Never place a baby to sleep on pillows, quilts, sheepskins or other soft surfaces.
- Keep soft objects, toys and loose bedding out of your baby's sleep area. Don't use pillows, blankets, quilts or pillow-like bumpers in a baby's sleep area, and keep soft items away from the baby's face.
- Never allow smoking around your baby. Don't smoke before or after the birth of your baby, and don't let others smoke around your baby.
- Never let your baby get overheated. Dress your baby in light sleep clothing and keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for you.
- Don't use products that claim to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome because there is no device that can prevent SIDS. Most have not been tested for effectiveness or safety. If you have questions about the use of monitors for other conditions, talk to your healthcare provider.
- Provide "tummy time" when your infant is awake and someone is watching. This reduces the possibility that flat spots will develop on your baby's head and helps develop neck and stomach muscles.
- Be careful about breastfeeding in bed or in any situation where you may fall asleep with your baby. Never take prescription medicine, drugs or alcohol that might make you drowsy or impair your judgment when breastfeeding and always put your baby back in his or her own crib or bassinet before you fall asleep.
- Remember to share this information with everyone who cares for your baby including grandparents and other family members, friends and child care providers.
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