New Hanover County HHS offers tips on safe sleeping habits for babies
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —It’s National Safe Sleep Awareness Month, and New Hanover County Health and Human Services is offering tips on how to practice safe sleeping habits with babies.
Because infants don’t totally control their body’s movement, they should always sleep or nap alone, and be placed on their backs in an environment with no bumpers, pillows, toys or blankets.
Babies should sleep on firm surfaces, in a safety approved crib, of portable play area.
The mattresses should only be covered by a fitted sheet. In 2020, there were 167 infant deaths in North Carolina, with 89 of them attributed to sleep-related causes. Two were in New Hanover County.
“Have a plan in place, before they need it. Before it’s the middle of the night, and you’re tired and sleepy. Before the baby comes home, — and also that you have a conversation with all the care givers that are involved,” said Renee Hope, New Hanover County HHS Child Protective Services supervisor.
New Hanover County HHS also advises against infants sleeping in an adult bed, on an air mattress, chair or sofa, whether alone or with another person. The department also says a baby’s sleeping environment should be in the same room as their caretaker to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or other sleep related causes of death.
