The Safe Sleep Maine Campaign
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has launched a statewide Safe Sleep Campaign. The campaign will help raise awareness of the importance of Safe Sleep for babies and lower the number of SIDS-related deaths in Maine.
The purpose of the Safe Sleep Maine campaign is to prevent infant deaths by educating the public in ABCD, the four letters associated with the best practices to make sure infants sleep safely:
Alone in their crib: Share the room, not the bed. The safest place for your baby to sleep is in your room, but NOT in your bed.
On their Back for nights and naps: A baby should always sleep on their back at night and during nap time. Back sleeping on a firm mattress in a crib or portable crib decreases the risk for SIDS.
Clean, Clear, Crib: A baby’s crib should contain a fitted sheet only; no blankets, toys, pillows, bumpers, or other items that could cover a baby’s face and suffocate them. Cribs, bassinets and play yards with firm mattresses are the only safe places for babies to sleep.
Drug-free: Be aware, not impaired. Drinking and drug use can impair your ability to care for a baby, making bed-sharing and other unsafe sleep even more dangerous for the baby.
The campaign aims to help inform new and experienced parents, grandparents, and caregivers on the importance of Safe Sleep for babies. The campaign also hopes to promote Safe Sleep through medical experts and professionals within the healthcare community so they and parents alike become familiar with, practice, and actively promote these simple steps to save babies lives.
Access the Safe Sleep Maine website and resources at https://safesleepforme.org.
