National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program recognizes Baptist Health Louisville

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created by Cribs for Kids, the only national infant safe sleep organization.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 8, 2021) – Baptist Health Louisville was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a “Gold Safe Sleep Champion,” for their commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created by Cribs for Kids®, the only national infant safe sleep organization. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Cribs for Kids is dedicated to preventing infant sleep-related deaths due to accidental suffocation. As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, Baptist Health Louisville is recognized for following the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and providing training programs for healthcare team members, and family caregivers. 

“Sleep-Related Death (SRD) results in the loss of more than 3,500 infants every year in the U.S.,” said Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., neonatologist and medical director of research at Cribs for Kids®. “We know that modeling safe infant sleep in the hospital and providing education to families has a significant effect on infant mortality. Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program is designed to recognize those hospitals that are taking an active role in reducing these preventable deaths.” 

In Kentucky, one baby dies every 4 days due to exposure to an unsafe sleep environment.

According to Chris Summerfield, BSN, RNC, women’s health community education coordinator at Baptist Health Louisville, “The steps for certification are a hospital policy and include yearly staff training for all units that care for babies under the age of one—labor and delivery, mother/baby, NICU, ED and outpatient surgery. Education includes topics such as use of sleep sacs for infants, modeling safe sleep in the hospital and providing education to our patients and the community.” 

Maternity classes are also provided to expectant parents at Baptist Health Louisville. Summerfield said, “As a mother and nurse of many years caring for maternity patients and their families, I want everyone who attends the maternity classes, and deliver their babies at Baptist Health Louisville, to have the knowledge to create a safe place for baby to sleep.” 

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created in partnership with leading infant health and safety organizations such as All Baby & Child, The National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths, Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs, Kids in Danger, Children’s Safety Network, American SIDS Institute, Charlie’s Kids, CJ Foundation for SIDS, and numerous state American Academy of Pediatric chapters and health departments.

According to Judith A. Bannon, executive director and founder for Cribs for Kids®, “The certification program launched in 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA, home of the Cribs for Kids® national headquarters.  Hundreds of hospitals across the US are certified. We welcome Baptist Health Louisville to this expanding group of committed hospitals.  This will have a profound effect on the saving babies’ lives.”

For more information on the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program visit https://cribsforkids.org/hospitalcertification/.