Smoky Mountain News

MedWest-Haywood and the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation (NCHSF) will partner to distribute onesies, nightlights and parent checklists to new parents during October, in conjunction with National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month.

The front side of the onesies have the message, “This side up when sleeping” in English and Spanish, indicating that the infant should be placed on his or her back to sleep. The nightlight has the ABC’s of infant safe sleep: “Babies sleep safest Alone, on their Backs, in a Crib.” Also included are English and Spanish checklists for parents to use which detail the proper ways to keep babies safe while sleeping.

SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant death in North Carolina, and accounted for 53 deaths in children under age one in 2010. In addition to SIDS deaths, many babies die from accidental suffocation, asphyxiation or entrapment while sleeping.

www.NCHealthyStart.org or 919.828.1819.