Many First Nations and Aboriginal teachings explain that babies are gifts of life from the Creator. Sadly, sometimes babies leave the circle suddenly and far too early as a result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the death of a baby under one year of age which is sudden, unexpected, and without a clear cause. SIDS usually happens during sleep or napping and is the most common cause of death in babies between the ages of one month and one year.
Research shows that in BC, First Nations and Aboriginal babies are four times more likely to die from SIDS than other babies in BC. Although the exact cause or causes of SIDS are not known, there are clear safe sleep practices that reduce a baby's risk for SIDS.
We are pleased to announce the availability of a new 2nd edition 2017 education toolkit, Honouring our Babies: Safe Sleep discussion Cards & Guide. This new updated resource will help service providers discuss safe sleep practices with First Nations and Aboriginal families and help reduce the risk of SIDS.
Honouring Our Babies: Safe Sleep Cards & Guide is interactive, evidence-informed, and incorporates cultural beliefs, practices, and issues specific to First Nations and Aboriginal communities. The tools includes a deck of 34 discussion cards and seven illustrated cards that you can use to prompt and guide discussions with families about safe infant sleep as well as a facilitator's guide with more information, research, resources, and graphics.
By sharing the key messages in these tools with families, you and your staff can play an important role to help families learn how to keep their precious babies safe while sleeping.
The development of this the original resource resource was an initiative of the Tripartite First Nations and Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health Committee, led by Perinatal Services BC, an agency of the Provincial Healt h Services Authority. The updated 2nd edition was completed by FNHA. This work responds to direction from the Transformative Change Accord for First Nations Health Plan, focusing on addressing issues arising from the BC Co roner's Office Child Death Review Report. If you are interested in receiving these resources, please contact resources@fnha.ca.
Download, print, and share the resources:
Honouring Our Babies - Safe Sleep Cards (PDF 7.10 MB)Honouring Our Babies Toolkit - A Summary for Families (PDF 648 KB)
