It ’ s as easy as ABC — babies sleep best Alone on their Back , in a Crib .
Safe Sleeping
Local mom Judy Bannon
is executive director of Cribs for Kids , which has a network of 1,800 partners nationwide and has provided almost 900,000 cribs to families in need .
BY SOPHIA DOLLARD
In the 1990s , Judy Bannon , a local mother and the executive director of Sudden Infant Death Services of PA , made it her mission to continue the fight against sudden infant death syndrome ( SIDS ). She wanted to know why thousands of babies were still dying every year and why some communities were not responding to the “ Back to Sleep ” campaign ’ s message .
After further research , Bannon realized that most SIDS deaths occurred in lower-income families . These infants were almost always found to be sleeping in unsafe environments such as adult beds and couches . Was it possible that these babies were dying simply because their families could not afford a crib , or maybe their mothers were not educated about safe sleeping practices ?
So , in 1998 , Bannon created the Cribs for Kids program with a mission to provide cribs to caregivers who could not afford them and to educate parents about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments .
It didn ’ t take long for Bannon to see her work pay off . Cribs for Kids was receiving national attention by 2002 and was credited for decreasing SIDS deaths in Allegheny County by almost 60 percent after just a few years . The organization was also instrumental in passing Pennsylvania Act 73 of 2010 . This act requires hospitals to give new mothers infant safe sleep education before discharge . Pennsylvania was the first state to pass such legislation but set a precedent that other states soon followed .
Today , Cribs for Kids has a growing network of about 1,800 partners nationwide and has provided almost 900,000 cribs to families in need . The program partners with hospitals , managed care organizations , first responders , and childcare programs to offer support groups , provide safe sleep education , and support SIDS research . It also offers a Hospital Certification Program that recognizes hospitals for their commitment to safe sleep .
Cribs for Kids helps ensure that all mothers receive safe sleep education after they deliver and provides safe sleeping environments to families who do not have access to one . It provides Cribettes , portable cribs , to all birthing hospitals in Allegheny County . Every in-need patient who asks for one receives one at no extra cost .
Today , about 3,500 U . S . babies die every year from sleep-related deaths . These are preventable deaths that devastate families and communities . You can help Cribs for Kids support families and work to prevent these tragedies by donating at cribsforkids . org or by purchasing safe sleep baby products at ettecetera . com . n
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