Cribs for Kids Safe Sleep Gold Certified Hospital

Cribs for Kids Gold Certified Safe Sleep HospitalMaineGeneral's Alfond Center for Health is a Nationally Certified Gold Standard Safe Sleep Hospital as determined by Cribs for Kids.

What does this mean and why is it important?

It means we are committed to promoting infant safe sleep to reduce the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), Accidental Suffocations and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB), SIDS and unsafe sleep injuries.

A gold certification level ensures MaineGeneral identifies at-risk families/caregivers in need of infant safe sleep spaces and distributes them to those who may need one, for all infants younger than one year of age.

It also means MaineGeneral promotes community outreach to educate the community on safe sleep practices for children younger than one year of age.

Providing Education

In addition to the education and educational materials families receive, Safe Sleep-Certified hospitals are required to provide Safe Sleep education on their websites. Examples of this education include such information as:

The ABCD's of Safe Sleep

  • Infant Sleep SafetyA - Alone: All infants should sleep alone in their crib. We recommend room sharing but not bed sharing. Sharing a room is the safest for your baby, but not the bed.
  • B - On their Backs for Nights and Naps: A baby should always sleep on their back at night and during nap time. Back sleeping on a firm mattress in a crib or a portable crib decreases the risk of SIDS
  • C - Clean, Clear Crib: A baby’s crib should contain a fitted sheet only - no blankets, toys, pillows, bumpers or other items that could cover a baby’s face and suffocate them.
  • D - Danger / Drug-Free: Be aware, not impaired. Drinking and drug use can impair your ability to take care of your baby, making bed-sharing and other unsafe sleep dangerous for the baby.

The 9 Steps of Safe Sleep

  1. Always place your baby on their back, on a firm sleep surface.
  2. Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature comfortable for an adult.
  3. Dress your baby to sleep in a one-piece sleeper or wearable blanket instead of loose blankets.
  4. Share the room, not the bed. Your baby should only sleep in a crib bassinet or portable play pen.
  5. Remove all soft bedding bumpers and toys for your sleep area; use only a tight fitted sheet.
  6. Do not expose your baby to smoke of any kind. Remember, cigarette and other smoke stay on your clothing as well.
  7. Visit your your baby’s pediatrician regularly and stay up to date on your baby’s immunizations.
  8. Breastfeed if possible. Breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of SIDS by 50 percent.
  9. Offer a pacifier when putting your baby to sleep. If breastfeeding offer a pacifier after 1 month.

Wearable Blanket Program

MaineGeneral participates in the Wearable Blanket Program by providing all infants on its Maternity and Pediatrics Unit at the Alfond Center for Health with HALO wearable sleep sacks in the hospital to promote safe sleep.

Caregivers also receive a HALO Sleep Sack Swaddle to take home with their infant to continue safe sleep practices at home.

Learn More

To learn more about safe sleep practices and other helpful resources, visit the Cribs for Kids website.