Essential Tips for Safe Infant Sleep: Insights from the Health Department

The Berrien County Health Department is highlighting Baby Safety Month to help new parents keep their little ones safe.

Dorothy Parker, the Nurse-Family Partnership coordinator, shares that sometimes infants face serious risks when safe sleep practices are not followed. She emphasizes that babies should always be placed on their backs for sleep. Cribs should be free of pillows and blankets to prevent suffocation.

Parents should also keep their babies safe by ensuring they sleep alone. It’s crucial not to allow a baby to sleep in a car seat outside of a vehicle, as this can lead to dangerous neck positions.

Michigan recently updated its child passenger safety laws, which focus on the child’s age and size. Here’s a simple breakdown of the new car seat rules:

• Infant to 2 years: Must be in a rear-facing car seat until reaching the manufacturer’s weight/height limit or turning 2.
• 2 to 5 years: Can transition to a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness until reaching the weight/height limit or turning 5.
• 5 to 8 years: Should use a belt-positioning booster seat until they’re 4 feet, 9 inches tall or 8 years old.
• Under 13 years: All kids under 13 should sit in the back seat if possible.

The updates aim to better protect children in vehicles. For first-time moms, the Nurse-Family Partnership offers support with home visits from registered nurses from pregnancy to the child’s second birthday. If you’re interested, reaching out to the Berrien County Health Department can provide more information.

Keeping infants safe is a collective responsibility. Each small action can help ensure that they grow up healthy and strong.

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