Despite the pandemic making community outreach harder than ever, HEALTHIER TOGETHER's Maternal & Child Health (MCH) work group, convened by the Healthy Start Consortium, continues to put in the effort to educate new parents within St. Clair County on the ABC's for Safe Sleep. Based on information gathered from infant mortality records between 2013 through 2017 there were 35 infant deaths in St Clair County alone. Three of these deaths were attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), while the other 32 were due to unsafe sleep related suffocation that might have been prevented through additional education on safe sleep practices.

As a priority initiative, the MCH alliance and other community partners have agreed to align with the Healthy Start Consortium’s strategy of promoting Infant Safe Sleep as a community-wide effort.  This effort has continued to provide education and awareness about Safe Sleep practices and SIDS risk reduction.  Since the month of October is SIDS Awareness Month, this group provided BJC Memorial Shiloh Hospital and HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital with Sleep Baby Safe and Snug books that illustrate safe sleep for new babies.

In addition to distributing the Sleep Baby Safe and Snug books, hospital staff at those locations also provided education to new parents of every baby born in October. These efforts further support the Healthy Start Consortium's County-Wide Safe Sleep Action Plan that has been coupled with HEALTHIER TOGETHER’s MCH strategic focus.  The hope is to bring the number of infant sleep and SIDS related deaths to 0 and make sure that every baby makes it past their first birthday

Sleep Baby Safe and Snug books and safe sleep practices education were provided to 300 women who delivered during the month of October 2020.

For more information on how you can get involved contact us HERE or email us at info@healthiertogether.net.

You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.