MDHHS alerts caregivers about Safe Sleep for Babies Act

by | May 25, 2022 | Health and Wellness

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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2022

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

MDHHS alerts caregivers about new Safe Sleep for Babies Act
prohibiting sale of crib bumper pads and inclined sleepers

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is praising a new federal law that will improve efforts to make sure infants sleep in a safe environment.

The Safe Sleep for Babies Act, signed by President Joe Biden last week, makes it illegal to sell padded bumper pads and inclined sleepers for infants. The law does not include unpadded, mesh crib liners.

“The Safe Sleep for Babies Act will save the lives of Michigan babies,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of the MDHHS Public Health Administration. “Parents see these items in stores and may think they are safe for their baby when they are not. These products have been involved in hundreds of infant deaths and we are grateful they will no longer be sold. Educating parents and other caregivers about the importance of infant safe sleep remains a top priority for MDHHS.”

In addition to not using crib bumpers and inclined sleepers, babies from birth to age 1 can be kept safe while sleeping at night and during naps by following the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations to:

  • Place baby on back, in a crib, bassinet or pack ’n play on their own with no other people for every sleep time. If baby falls asleep in an unsafe sleep space, baby should be moved to a crib, bassinet or pack ’n play as soon as possible.
  • Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet.
  • Keep baby’s sleep space clutter-free – no pillows, blankets, toys or bumper pads.
  • Avoid covering baby’s head or overheating. Instead of a blanket use a sleep sack, wearable blanket or footed sleeper to keep baby warm.
  • Remind everyone who cares for baby, including babysitters and family members, how to keep baby safe while sleeping.
  • Keep baby in a smoke-free environment.
  • Support breastfeeding and immunizations.

From 2010 to 2019, 1,436 Michigan babies died due to sleeping in unsafe environments, such as on an adult bed, couch, sofa chair or other unsafe sleep place with toys, blankets or bumper pads, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Case Registry and the Michigan Public Health Institute.

MDHHS encourages caregivers to make sure their babies are sleeping in a safe product. Parents can use the checklist Is this Infant Safe Sleep? to determine if a product is safe for infant sleep. Parents can also make sure unsafe products get taken off the market by reporting them to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Anyone can report a concern, whether it’s an injury, death or a “near miss” at Saferproducts.gov.

To learn more about infant safe sleep, visit Michigan.gov/SafeSleep or contact the Infant Safe Sleep Program at MDHHS-InfantSafeSleep@michigan.gov. To view data related to sleep-related infant deaths, visit Keepingkidsalive.org/publications.