The Kenosha County Division of Health is urging the community to make sure your baby or the baby in your care always has a safe place to sleep at night and during naptime, even as you travel or visit others.

Babies can suffocate while sleeping in adult beds, sharing a bed with an adult or child, sleeping on furniture, and sleeping with pillows, cushions, and blankets.

Follow these basic infant safe sleep recommendations to protect babies from suffocation or accidents during nightly sleep and naps:

• ;The safest place for baby to sleep is in a crib, bassinet, or portable crib that meets current safety standards. Take a portable crib with you when you travel outside the home, if you're not sure one will be available. Adult beds, couches, and sofa chairs are dangerous for infant sleep.
• Use a firm mattress and tightly fitted sheet in the crib, bassinet, or portable crib.
• Take out all pillows, blankets, comforters, bumper pads, stuffed toys, and other soft things.
• Your baby should sleep on his or her back. Babies can suffocate if placed face down.
• Babies should sleep by himself or herself in the crib, bassinet, or portable crib.
• Never allow a baby to share a bed with adults, other babies, or children.
• Use a sleep sack instead of a blanket. Blankets can suffocate the baby. Sleep sacks are specially designed, wearable blankets, for safe infant sleep.

The Kenosha County Division of Health offers portable cribs at discounted price as part of a Safe Sleep Program. Safe Sleep education is available for parents or agencies working with young families through in-home instruction from a Public Health Nurse or Health Educator.