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Safe Sleep for Your Baby

Take the virtual training course

Infant mortality (death of an infant before the age of one year old) continues to be a public health crisis in the United States, here in Wisconsin, and specifically in our city of Milwaukee. That means, simply too many babies die before their first birthday due to SIDS and other causes of death in unsafe sleep environments. Change is possible, and this is one of the ways that we can reach parents and other caregivers to ensure that babies get the chance to celebrate their first birthday and thrive.

Safe Sleep Virtual Class 

Introduction to safe sleep class

Learn more about safe sleep practices for your baby! Review the training materials, take the survey, and sign up to receive a free Pack-N-Play Crib!

* The Safe Sleep course is currently only offered in English. This webpage will be updated when other languages become available.

View the course

 

Eligibility

You must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a Pack N Play:

  1. Resident of the City of Milwaukee
  2. 34 weeks or greater pregnant OR postpartum person within 6 months of delivery

In Person and Online

Classes are offered both in person and online. In person classes are offered on Mondays at Keenan Health Center, Wednesdays at the Southside Health Center and Fridays at the Northwest Health Center. Translation services are available upon request for in person classes.

Online classes are self-paced and only offered in English at this time.

Registration

Call (414) 286-8620 to register for both in person and online safe sleep classes. You may bring a partner/support person with you to in person classes.

 

 

Schedule

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Keenan Health Center (3200 N. 36th Street)

Where: Room B19

When: 12:00pm to 2:00 pm

Southside Health Center (1639 S. 23rd Street)

Where: Multipurpose Room

When: Wednesdays from 9:00am to 3:00pm

Northwest Health Center (7630 W. Mill Road)

Where: Room 120

When: Fridays from 9:00am to 3:00pm

Safe Sleep Guidelines

The City of Milwaukee Health Department strongly advises parents to follow the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone, Back, Crib. This is based on an American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 Policy which states that the risk of SIDS is reduced when the infant sleeps in the same room as the parent(s), in a crib on their backs.

ABC's Explained
•    Provide a separate but nearby sleeping environment.
•    Put baby on their back on a flat, firm surface.
•    Make sure that the only item in the crib is a mattress, covered by a tight-fitting sheet. No bumper pads, blankets, pillows, or toys.
•    Never put a baby to sleep on a couch, chair, car seat, swing, bouncy seat, or nursing seat.
•    Never lay a baby down on or next to a pillow. Pillows are extremely dangerous for infants as they can cause suffocation.
•    Avoid extra blankets, hats or overly heavy clothes. Try a sleeper sack instead.
•    Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for the whole family. But the house should not be too warm.
•    Never smoke in a house where an infant or child lives.
 

Co-Sleeping

Co-sleeping is when parents or caregivers share a sleep surface with a baby. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep alone in a crib, in the same room as parents or caregivers is safest, we know that you may choose to share a sleep surface with your baby. Here are some tips to keep your baby safer in whatever sleep situation you choose.

If using an adult bed:

  • Make sure the baby can’t fall out of bed or get trapped between the mattress & the wall
  • Keep pillows & bedding away from your baby
  • Avoid items that could cover baby’s head or cause overheating
  • Don’t bring other children or pets into the bed
  • Never leave your baby alone in an adult bed
     


When not to co-sleep:

  • Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks) or weighed under 5 ½  pounds when they were born
  • Your baby suffered injury during birth
  • Your baby is sick (current or chronic)

These infants are more sensitive and potentially more fragile, so it’s best to stick to the ABC’s of safe sleep. 

  • You or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol
  • You or anyone in the bed smokes
  • You or anyone in the bed has taken any medication or drugs that make you feel sleepy

These factors impact the adults’ sense of awareness, so you might not notice if you onto a part of your baby’s body. They can also cause deeper sleep, making it harder for you to wake up to a baby’s cry or other signals. 
 

Never sleep on a couch or chair with your baby, this can increase the risk of SIDs by 50 times. 
 

Pack N Play

Pack N Plays® are used because they are portable and can be taken wherever the baby needs to be cared for.  Before a family is given a Pack ‘n Play®, the Milwaukee Health Department provides education and training on proper sleep position and sleep environment for the baby.

Pack N Plays® distributed by the Milwaukee Health Department are purchased through the Cribs for Kids program. All Pack N Plays® have a bassinet feature that can be used until the baby is 10lbs or can roll over on their own.

Resources

Safe Sleep Caregiver Instructional Video