More than 100 infants die in New York every year because of how they are put to sleep
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — On average, 120 infants die in New York every year because of how they are put to sleep.
120 is, like, six kindergarten classrooms.
News10NBC learned about this story after covering the homicide of a 1-year-old child this week. That infant’s mother is charged with murder.
The majority of unexpected infants deaths in Monroe County this year happened because where and how they fell sleep was unsafe.
“And so to have that mind set of, ‘I’m a good parent, it can’t happen to me,’ is incredibly dangerous,” said pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Murray.
Dr. Murray prompted this story by her tweet of our story Monday on infant deaths.
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “Why do you think that’s the case?”
Dr. Elizabeth Murray, Pediatrician: “There isn’t one answer. I think it’s a couple of reasons.”
Murray says one reason is Monroe County is better at reporting unexpected deaths. Another is exhausted parents. Another is living conditions.
“In some cases, certainly not all, there is an overlap with poverty and housing insecurity,” she said.
A safe sleep video posted on the State health department’s website tells parents to follow the “ABC” rule.
Babies should sleep alone, on their backs, and in a crib.
Sarah Kiley is the nurse manager for the women’s center and the neonatal intensive care unit at RGH. She showed Berkeley the packet new parents get when they leave the hospital with their baby.
Brean: “So, let’s say there are new parents watching right now. If there’s one thing you can tell them, what would it be?”
Sarah Kiley, RGH Nurse manager Women’s care, NICU: “If you’re feeling sleepy, put the baby down.”
“It’s the second one,” Dr. Murray said. “It’s the middle of the night feed when everyone is more exhausted, more sleepy, barely waking up doing that feed. It’s that time often when the unsafe sleep situation occurs, because either the people fall back asleep or the baby is not put back in their safe sleep environment.”
The Bivona Child Advocacy Center says it’s aware of at least eight unexpected infant death cases in Monroe County this year. As many as six of them are from unsafe sleep.