Infant Mortality Awareness Month 2012 featured at county libraries
More than 845 babies were stillborn or died before their first birthday over the last five years in Southwest Florida. Healthy Start of Southwest Florida, and the Lee County Library System, are partnering to help deliver the important health and safety messages for Infant Mortality Awareness Month.
During September, there will be book displays in each of the 13 libraries throughout the county. The books featured will help to educate families on ways to give their baby a healthy start in life. Four of the libraries, Dunbar-Hammond, South County Regional, Pine Island, and Lakes Regional, will also feature special Healthy Start educational displays. Visit the library website to see the little baby promoting Infant Mortality Awareness Month and to learn more: www.Library.Lee-county.com.
The key messages for Infant Mortality Awareness Month include a healthy baby begins with a healthy mother; every pregnancy is different and an early and regular medical care is critical.
A safe environment protects babies from injuries. Some of those safety measures include never co-sleep with your baby, to help prevent suffocation death; place your baby on its back to sleep to help prevent SIDS; babies should ride in a properly installed car seat; install baby locks on doors and electrical outlets; take precautions to prevent drowning deaths and use safe ways to calm a fussy baby. Never shake a baby.
Get your safety checklist and tips today by contacting Vicki@healthystartbaby.org or visit the Healthy Start website to take a quiz to Test Your Baby IQ at: www.HealthyStartBaby.org.
Other Healthy Start educational activities to promote the key messages of Infant Mortality Awareness Month include its popular Community Baby Showers. The showers are fun activities for expectant mothers. It’s an opportunity for moms to receive educational information while enjoying games and prizes. If you are an expectant mom, or have a newborn baby less than one-year-old, contact Healthy Start to reserve a spot at your local Community Baby Shower Pine Island, Oct. 17, Cape Coral Nov. 3. Call Vicki Greene at 239-425-6935 for reservations and more information.
Healthy Start of Southwest Florida’s mission is to reduce infant deaths, premature births, and to improve the health of babies born in Southwest Florida.
The organization is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 organization, serving over 17,000 women and babies annually, in Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties since 1992. For more information about the programs and services offered by Healthy Start, visit www.Healthy-StartBaby.org.