After Birmingham Baby Dies, County Issues Safe Sleeping Recommendations

After a Birmingham mother accidentally suffocated her one-month-old baby last week, the Oakland County Health and Human Services Department (OCHHS) has issued a series of safe sleep practices for parents.

"It's imperative to exercise safe sleep practices because death by infant position/compression asphyxiation can happen to any family," George Miller, director of the OCHHS said in a recent press release.

"Parents may be tired and inappropriately place their child in bed with them, or grandparents may not know the new safety recommendations, but safety must prevail," he added.

The announcement comes less than a week after a Birmingham baby died when her mother fell asleep while breastfeeding on March 13. According to health and police officials, the incident was an accident. 

An 8-month-old from Pontiac also died of suffocation on March 13. Officials in that case say the father may have accidentally have rolled over on his daughter, The Oakland Press reports.

Meanwhile, another 4-week-old Pontiac baby is believed to have been accidentally suffocated by her mother on Jan. 13.

According to county health officials, sleep-related deaths for infants are usually accidents and typically due to suffocation (when an object blocks his or her airway), entrapment (when the child is lodged between two objects, such as a mattress and the wall), or strangulation (when something presses on a child's neck, blocking the airway). 

To keep your little ones safe while you sleep, county health officials urge parents to follow these guidelines:

• Infants must sleep alone in a crib, portable crib or bassinet. Those who breastfeed their child in bed should make sure to put him or her back in their crib after feeding.
• Infants must always sleep on their back.
• Pillows, blankets, stuffed animals or other soft items should not be in an infant's sleep area. Crib bumpers could cause serious injuries or even death.
• Keep an infant's face uncovered during sleep for easy breathing. Use a sleeper instead of a blanket.
• Don't allow anyone to smoke around children.
• Don't overheat the infant. Generally, it is recommended to dress the infant in the same amount of clothing that adults are wearing.
• Use a firm mattress with a tightly-fitted sheet. Never let an infant sleep on soft surfaces, such as a couch or safa, pillows, quilts, sheepskins or blankets.

Those with questions are encouraged to call the Oakland County Health Division's nurse on call frlm 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at 800-848-5543.

What do you think of the safe sleeping recommendations? Is co-sleeping a good thing for children or do you make sure your babies sleep in their cribs?