O’FALLON — HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is proud to announce that it has achieved recertification as a Gold Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital.
This certification recognizes St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center’s team’s commitment to best practices in infant safe sleep, ensuring the highest standards of care for their youngest patients. By earning this recertification, St. Elizabeth’s demonstrates adherence to rigorous guidelines established by the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program.
Cribs for Kids is a national safe sleep initiative dedicated to reducing infant mortality. “Sleep related deaths are the number one reason we lose our babies each year—3,400 infants annually,” said Michael H. Goodstein, MD, neonatologist and medical director at Cribs for Kids. “We know that parents do at home what they see done in the hospital so modeling safe sleep and providing education to families will have an impact on infant mortality. Cribs for Kids program recognizes hospitals making this commitment.”
Safe sleep practices are ways to make sure babies are as safe as they can be while they are sleeping to prevent sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Medical experts recommend following the ABCs of safe sleep practices until babies turn one:
- Alone – Babies are safest when they sleep alone, with no blanket, bumpers or anything else in the crib with them, and not sleeping with their parents.
- Back – Babies should always be placed on their back to sleep at nighttime and for naps.
- Crib – Babies should sleep in a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and fitted sheet.
“I am so proud of our colleagues’ dedication to ongoing education, community outreach and adherence to best practices to support safe sleep for infants,” said St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center Manager Amanda Schaefer, MSN, RN. “Being redesignated as a Gold Safe Sleep Hospital recognizes that we continue working diligently within the hospital and with community partners to offer important education and resources to our mothers and families to improve infant mortality outcomes.”
Judy Bannon, CEO, and founder of Cribs for Kids explains, “The National Infant Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program launched in 2015. It is rooted in the Safe Sleep Recommendations made by American Academy of Pediatrics and the research that demonstrates families do at home what they see done in the hospital. There are over 500 infant safe sleep certified hospitals across the country and beyond. We are proud to welcome HSHS Elizabeth’s Hospital to our program. It will have a profound effect on saving babies’ lives.”
For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center, visit steliz.org/baby.
