October is Infant Safe Sleep Month in Michigan calling attention to the importance of preventing sleep-related infant deaths.
To keep babies 0-12 months of age safe, while sleeping at night and during naps, families can follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines:
- Place baby on back, in a crib, bassinet or pack and play for every sleep time.
- Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet.
- Keep baby’s sleep space clutter free–no pillows, blankets, bumper pads, or toys.
- Avoid covering baby’s head or overheating. Instead of a blanket, consider using a sleep sack, wearable blanket or footed sleeper to keep baby warm.
- Keep baby in a smoke-free and nicotine-free environment.
- Support breastfeeding and immunizations.
- Remind everyone who cares for baby, including babysitters and family members, how to keep baby safe while sleeping.
Families can learn more about the safe sleep guidelines and why they are recommended to keep babies safe.
Virtual 5K Your Way
Join Michigan’s Infant Safe Sleep Action Team for the second Infant Safe Sleep Month Virtual 5K Your Way. To participate, complete a 5K run/walk or any other activity for at least 30 minutes (bike, swim, dance, chair aerobics—just move) during the month of October 2023. Participate your way, at your pace, in a way that’s fun and comfortable for you. Learn more about the Virtual 5K Your Way and sign up today!
Social Media Messages
You can help raise awareness by posting to your social media accounts. You can replace the hashtags in the posts with ones that are more appropriate for your audience or organization, but please include #MIMoves4SafeSleep in every post during October.
Week 1 (October 1-7)
Follow #safesleep practices by placing baby to sleep on their back to help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant death. Back to sleep for EVERY sleep. #SafeSleepMonth #SIDSAwarenessMonth #MIMoves4SafeSleep
Week 2 (October 8-14)
A firm, flat mattress in a clutter-free crib, bassinet or pack and play will reduce your baby’s risk of sleep-related infant death. Nothing but baby for EVERY sleep. #safesleep #CleartheCribChallenge #MIMoves4SafeSleep
Week 3 (October 15-21)
Room sharing helps reduce the risk of sleep-related infant death. Put baby in a #safesleep space (their own crib, bassinet or pack and play) next to your bed. Baby’s own sleep space for EVERY sleep. #MIMoves4SafeSleep #SafeSleepMonth
Week 4 (October 22-28)
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sleep-related causes of infant death. If you bring baby into your bed to #breastfeed, be sure to follow #safesleep practices when finished. Move baby to a safe sleep space EVERYTIME you breastfeed. #MIMoves4SafeSleep #SafeToSleep
More Posts
Do you want to post more than once a week or have posts throughout the year? Share the safe sleep videos from the Charlie’s Kids Foundation by using these sample posts.
In addition, you can pick from any of the social media messages in the Safe Sleep Communications Toolkit to tailor to your audience and have ready-to-go posts all year long!
Share Resource Materials
MDHHS provides resources on a variety of topics, such as the sleep environment, infant development and protective factors:
- Infant Safe Sleep Brochure
- Infant Safe Sleep for Grandparents
- Is this Product Safe for Infant Sleep? Checklist
- Soothing a Crying Baby
- Baby Eating and Sleeping: What is Normal?
- Breastfeeding & Safe Sleep
- Smoking & Safe Sleep
- Safe Sleep & Vaccines
You can order most of these resource materials free of charge. Go to the MDHHS Clearinghouse to order some today!
Make Sure the Images You Use of Sleeping Babies Model Safe Sleep
The AAP recommends that organizations follow the infant safe sleep guidelines in their messaging and resource materials. The National Action Partnership to Promote Safe Sleep at the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health has developed Modeling Safe Practices: A Checklist for Infant Sleep & Breastfeeding Images that you can use to ensure that your resources have images that model breastfeeding-friendly, safe infant sleep practices. Go to Images You Can Use to easily access images of babies sleeping safely, families with children, breastfeeding parents and more.
What Else You Can do for Infant Safe Sleep Month
Whether you have five minutes or several hours, learn about other ways you can make a difference during Infant Safe Sleep Month, and all year long!
SIDS Awareness Month
Nationally, October is also SIDS Awareness Month. The Safe to Sleep® Campaign SIDS Awareness Month Toolkit offers resources to help your agency/organization promote SIDS Awareness Month in October.
Contact Us
For additional assistance, contact the MDHHS Infant Safe Sleep Program at MDHHS-InfantSafeSleep@michigan.gov.