New billboards teaching the “A,B,C’s” of safe sleep for infants

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama is improving when it comes to the statewide infant mortality rate, but the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) says there is still a long way to go.

“One death is too many, and it’s preventable,” said Tana-Kae Lewis, the Perinatal Coordinator for North Alabama with ADPH.

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The Perinatal Program is aimed at decreasing infant morbidity and mortality. Lewis said one of the “top three” causes of infant deaths is unsafe sleep practices.

To work on educating parents and caregivers on safe sleep practices, they recently launched a billboard campaign across north Alabama.

The billboards feature the “A,B,C’s” of Safe Sleep.

“They should sleep Alone, on their Back, and in a Crib,” Lewis said.

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Lewis said while some families want to sleep in the same room as their child, they should make sure the child has a designated sleeping space, where they can sleep alone.

ADPH also said parenting isn’t easy, and it isn’t perfect. “If you should fall asleep with your infant in your bed while breastfeeding, return the infant to their safe sleep place [when you realize]” Lewis said.

The billboards are located in Huntsville, Scottsboro, Moulton, and Muscle Shoals in an effort to reach as many people as possible.

Lewis says an infant death can happen to any family. However, she said there are resources available to prevent it.

“Through the state, we have a program that it offers a free pack-and-play to families who are not able to afford a crib somewhere safe for the infant to sleep,” Lewis said. “On the ADPH website, there’s tons of resources on on safety practices and also on CDC and NIH.”

Both nationwide and in Alabama, there are racial disparities when it comes to infant mortality. Lewis said black infants are three times more likely to die than white infants.

She said ADPH is working to correct that statistic and lower infant mortality rates as a whole.

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