Release Date:   September 30, 2002

RE: "Face Up To Wake Up" T-shirt Campaign

The "Face Up To Wake Up" campaign is underway in Genesee County to help reduce infant deaths caused by unsafe sleep. In an effort to educate new parents about the importance of safe sleep for their infants, the PRIDE Medical Services Committee, in partnership with the Genesee County Health Department, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Hurley Medical Center and McLaren Regional Medical Center, will distribute baby t-shirts bearing the "Face Up To Wake Up" slogan through each of the hospital nurseries over the next 12 months. Attached to each t-shirt is an educational tag describing tips parents should take to create safer sleep environments for their babies.

According to Leslie Lathrop, Genesee County Health Department nurse and coordinator for the Genesee County Fetal Infant Mortality Review Team (FIMR), "Babies who are in unsafe sleep environments, such as adult beds, couches or

even cribs with bumper pads and loose bedding, are at much greater risk of sudden death due to suffocation or positional asphyxia. Even babies placed to sleep on their bellies are at risk because newborns typically do not have enough neck muscles or strength to move their heads if they are face down and their breathing is restricted."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission along with a variety of industry and safety groups recommends the following tips to provide safer sleep environments for babies:

• Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Wherever your baby sleeps should be as safe as possible. Babies placed on adult beds risk suffocation from several hidden hazards such as:

• Entrapment between the bed and wall.
• Entrapment involving the bed frame, headboard or footboard.
• Falls from adult beds onto piles of clothing, plastic bags, or other soft materials resulting in suffocation.
• Suffocation in soft bedding (such as pillows, thick quilts and comforters).

• To reduce the risk of suffocation, remove all soft bedding such as pillows, thick quilts, comforters, sheepskins and other pillow-like soft products before placing your baby to sleep.
• When using a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards, has a firm, tight-fitting mattress and tight-fitting bottom sheet. Slats should be no wider than the width of a soda can.
• When using a portable crib or playpen, be sure to use only the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer.

PRIDE is Programs to Reduce Infant Deaths Effectively. The "Face Up To Wake Up" t-shirt campaign is supported by the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 initiative. To find out more about safe sleep for infants, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3127.