Safe Infant Sleep Social Media Live Event

In 2019, CDC hosted a Facebook live event to communicate information about safe sleep for babies during SIDS Awareness Month. To support organizations in developing their own remote, live social media events to promote safe sleep, CDC developed a toolkit that includes the resources below.

Q&A for Safe Infant Sleep Social Media Live Events

Live Event Script

Download the script [DOC – 25 KB]

  • Hi, and thanks for joining us! My name is Sharyn Parks Brown and I’m joined by my colleague Carri Cottengim. We are both scientists on CDC’s Maternal and Infant Health team works to better understand sudden death in infants and ways to protect babies through safe sleep environments
  • Carri and I are also moms and we’re in a nursery today to talk about safe sleep for babies younger than 1 years old.
SHARYN:
  • Sleep is a common topic when talking about
  • Many people don’t realize how important the sleep environment is to keeping their infants safe and healthy.
  • And this is important not just for parents, but for grandparents, childcare workers, babysitters, or ANYONE who cares for an infant.
  • Carri and I will demonstrate key features of a safe infant sleep …
  • Carri, do you want to start by talking about what we see in this crib?
CARRI:
  • This is a crib here has a cute comforter and bumpers, blankets, and some other items in
  • While may look really cute, there are some things in it that can actually be dangerous for a baby and could put them at risk for sleep-related death, such  as something called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS for
  • But first, let’s start with what is The baby in the crib is on her back.
SHARYN:
  • That’s According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the safest way for infants to be placed for sleep is on their backs.
  • Even once your baby is able to flip themselves over on their stomach when sleeping, it’s still best to place them on their back to But if they flip while sleeping, you can leave them in that position.
  • What else is good about this environment?
CARRI:
  • The crib itself is It’s very important that babies have their OWN crib or basinet to sleep in. Babies should NOT share a bed with an adult or another child. There is a risk of someone rolling over and suffocating the baby.
  • The sleep surface should be firm, flat and level. This crib has a firm, tight fitting mattress with no gaps around the

Point to crib sheet

  • It is also flat and level.
  • If your baby falls asleep in a bouncy seat, car seat, stroller, swing, or anything that is angled, move them to a flat surface as soon as you can to finish

Hold up seat

  • This is because it is easy for small or young babies to slump into a position where they can’t breathe easily.
  • Now, let’s talk about how you can keep the baby on a separate surface when you’re breastfeeding?
SHARYN:
  • Breastfeeding is great for mom and babies, but it can also be easy for breastfeeding moms to get sleepy during and after feeding their babies- especially during those first few sleep-deprived weeks!
  • If a baby is brought to an adult bed to breastfeed, he should be moved back to his own crib before mom falls back to sleep.
  • A partner, friend or family member might be able to help with this by keeping an eye on mom during feeds and moving baby to its crib if she falls
  • If you are alone and do fall asleep, just place the baby on his back in the crib as    soon as you wake
  • Another thing to mention related to breastfeeding but that applies to all babies, is that it’s actually ideal for the crib to be in the SAME room as the    adult bed until they’re 6 months of So same room, different bed.
  • So, Carri, let’s now talk about what is NOT good about this set-up.
CARRI:
  • Cribs should ONLY have a tight fitted This means NO blankets, comforters, bumpers, or stuffed animals.

Remove items from bed and set them down

  • This is because infants can get tangled in bedding and suffocate if objects cover their mouth and nose.
  • Blankets can be hung on the wall or put on the floor for tummy time. Stuffed animals can also decorate the room or be used for play, but they should not be in the
  • You might be wondering now that the blankets are out of the crib how to keep  your baby
SHARYN:
  • Many of us worry about keeping our baby warm, but babies actually only need   one more layer than what an adult would comfortably wear in the
  • It can be dangerous if a baby gets overheated, so watch for signs if the baby is sweating or their chest feels hot to the
  • If it’s chilly, you can dress the baby in a wearable blanket or sleep sack, such as this.

Pick up sleep sack

  • So, one more time, what are our key takeaways?
CARRI:
  • The main things to remember are to:
    • Always place infants on their backs to sleep, on a firm, flat, and level surface (like their own crib or bassinet).
    • Take out all soft or loose objects; you only need a fitted
    • Ideally keep the crib in the same room as a caregiver for the first 6 months.
  • Thank you for joining us today. Other members of our team from CDC have been working behind the scenes to answer your questions as they’ve been If we didn’t get to your question, we’ll respond online later this afternoon. For more information, visit CDC.GOV/SIDS. Thank you.