April 29, 2004 Safe Sleeping At Women & Children's Baby FairBaby bed giveaway emphasizes safe sleep position and sleep environment to reduce risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Apr 29, 2004 -

Lake Charles, LA, – This Saturday, May 1, the Louisiana SIDS Program will give away a brand new baby bed at the Women & Children’s Hospital Baby Fair, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., in front of the hospital at 4200 Nelson Road. The Louisiana SIDS Program is co-sponsoring this year’s free Baby Fair to emphasize its “This Side Up” campaign that reminds families to place babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.

Representatives from the SIDS Program will be on hand to demonstrate safe sleep environment and safe sleep position for babies.

“We now know there are contributing risk factors for SIDS, such as how and where you put a baby to sleep,” says Dr. B.J. Foch, Louisiana Office of Public Health regional medical director for the Lake Charles area. “Placing a baby on its back, in a crib without soft bedding or stuffed toys, is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.”

Families can register to win the free baby bed and other infant merchandise at the SIDS display at the Baby Fair.

The Louisiana SIDS Program recommends the following strategies for a safe sleeping environment:

·         A healthy infant should be placed on its back to sleep.

·         Protect all infants from exposure to tobacco smoke, before and after birth.

·         Avoid placing soft, fluffy bedding, such as pillows and stuffed animals, in the crib with the infant.

·         Avoid overdressing the infant for bedtime; this can cause overheating while asleep.

The Louisiana SIDS Program is an education and counseling program of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, Maternal and Child Health program. The Louisiana SIDS Program promotes a variety of healthy behaviors such as placing infants on their backs for sleeping and promoting healthy maternal behaviors before and after the birth of an infant.

For more information on Sudden Death Infant Syndrome, call Tracy Hubbard, M.P.H., OPH SIDS Risk Reduction Coordinator, 504-568-5073.

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