CJ Foundation Urges Parents to Plan Ahead
Tips to help parents keep their infants safe from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and other sleep-related deaths over the holidays.
Hackensack, NJ — As we prepare for sharing the holidays with friends and family, it is easy to forget how traveling will affect your baby. Makeshift sleep or nap arrangements - such as sharing a sleep space, or putting baby to sleep on a sofa - are not safe for your infant. Whether you’re traveling across town or across the country, the following tips will help to ensure a safe sleep environment for your infant:
- Always bring a portable crib or play yard – most hotels will supply a crib, but call to reserve one in advance.
- Expecting company? Make your home an infant safe-sleep zone for visiting friends and relatives. Have a portable crib(s) ready. Friends don’t let friends put their infants at risk.
- Speak-up and share your knowledge regarding safe sleep for infants.
- Never use a car seat as a substitute for your infant’s sleep space; sleeping infants should be removed from the car seat upon arrival to your destination and placed in a portable crib or crib on his/her back.
- Remove outdoor clothing from infants (even a sleeping one) upon arrival to your destination (Even at the mall). Overheating is a risk factor for SIDS. Be sure blankets are not obstructing airflow, possibly causing Co2 build-up, another SIDS risk factor and is a suffocation hazard. If your baby’s face is excessively red or the hair is damp he/she is too warm.
- Babies need not be over bundled - dress your baby in as many layers as would make an adult comfortable.
- Adult beds, sofas and other makeshift arrangements are not safe - not even for a nap. Not even just this once. Bed sharing is a SIDS risk and a suffocation hazard.
- Plan ahead if you will be consuming alcohol. Assign a responsible (non-drinking) adult as the designated sitter. Alcohol consumption impairs judgment and can put your baby at risk.
To learn more about protecting your infant from SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths during the holidays or anytime of the year, visit www.cjsids.org
