Westchester County has introduced a new “Safe Sleep” campaign aimed at raising awareness about safe sleeping practices for infants. The initiative, led by the Westchester County Department of Health and the Department of Social Services, targets parents and caregivers with information designed to reduce sleep-related injuries and deaths among babies.
The campaign highlights that infants four months old or younger face the highest risk of sleep-related injury death. According to county officials, most incidents involve unsafe sleep surfaces combined with other environmental risks such as excess bedding, bed-sharing, or improper sleep positions.
Key recommendations from the campaign include always placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm and flat mattress without pillows, blankets or toys in the crib, avoiding bed-sharing with people or pets, and keeping the room temperature between 68º – 72ºF. Additional guidelines suggest having infants sleep in their parents’ room but not in the same bed for at least six months—ideally up to one year—and ensuring a smoke-free environment.
To reach a broad audience, advertisements are being placed on Bee-Line buses across Westchester County, displayed at the County Center, and circulated online.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “Maternal and infant outcomes have been major issues of focus recently in the County, with important initiatives such as the Birth Equity Improvement Project and the launch of the TeamBirth Program by St. John’s Riverside Hospital. The safe sleep campaign goes hand-in-hand with these other public health measures for a healthier Westchester. We aim to educate and re-educate mothers, fathers and all caregivers on how to make sleep-time, safe-time for all our babies.”
Dr. Sherlita Amler, Commissioner of Health for Westchester County added: “To avoid tragedy and keep our littlest ones safe while they sleep, it is so important that every parent, grandparent and caregiver place babies to sleep on their backs, alone and in a crib for every nap and bedtime. We see so many images of babies posed for sleep surrounded by cozy blankets, fluffy pillows and cute toys that could smother them. These images send an unintentional but dangerous message, and do not promote a safe sleep environment. Unfortunately, a few moments in an unsafe situation can cause a lifetime of regret for the parents and the loss of a young life that could have been prevented.”
Leonard Townes, Commissioner of Social Services noted: “Every year, more than 3,500 children in the United State die as a result of unsafe sleep practices. These tragedies are preventable but they often occur because loving and caring parents don’t make the right choice. They make the mistake of sharing a bed with an infant, or putting an infant to sleep with soft objects like pillows, blankets and bumpers. We want to make sure every parent gets the message: you can protect your child by following simple safe sleep practices. By using County buses to deliver that message to 27 million riders annually, we have an opportunity to save the lives of Westchester’s youngest residents.”
Further details about recommended practices can be found on the county’s Safe Sleep website.
