Philly Sleep Campaign Aims To Lower Infant Mortality Rate
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- City Hall hosted some very young health ambassadors Tuesday, who have a short and sweet message for reducing infant mortality.
"Real Philadelphia families with real babies, adorable babies," said Commissioner Tom Farley of the Philadelphia Health Department.
Soon you will see the babies in ads demonstrating the safest way to put a baby to sleep: on their back. Also important: What's not in the pictures. The babies are not on couches or beds, or near any soft objects like crib bumpers, which are all risk factors for sudden infant death. Philadelphia's infant mortality rate is above the national average.
"One baby in Philadelphia dies every 12 days because of unsafe sleep," said Dr. Esther Chung, professor of pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University/Nemours.
The message of the Safe Sleep Philly campaign is short: Same room. Different beds. Better rest for all.
"Sharing a room is good. It helps baby stay safe. But sharing bed is a risk," Commissioner Farley said.
He said a much better option is a pack and play. They are so effective at cutting the risk of infant death, the city will give them to parents who cannot afford them.
According to officials, each year 30 infants in the city die in their sleep from preventable causes like accidental suffocation.
"In an effort to alleviate higher infant mortality rate, the health commissioner started a program where we would assist families who could not afford a place for the babies to sleep," said Annette Frazier.
Mother Jasmine Pitt is a convert. She can move it from room to room with her daughter, Leilani Mitchell.
"This is what keeps her safe, laying on her back in her pack and play," Jasmine said.
The city also is asking the public to reinforce the message. Commissioner Cynthia Figueroa of the Department of Human Services said even social media photos are an opportunity to spread the word.
"There's that image of dad asleep, with the baby with them, and everybody's like, 'Aww! How cute!'" Commissioner Figueroa said. "I'm like, 'Aww! How cute. Now intervene. Remove the baby from the chest of the father. Put the baby in the crib.'"
You can find out more about the campaign at SafeSleepPhilly.org.
