A Children’s Book Is Getting Credit For Reducing Infant Sleep Deaths In Tennessee

Every family that leaves a Tennessee hospital with a new baby is handed a simple, 14-page picture book that state health officials are now crediting for a decline in unsafe sleep infant deaths.

Hospitals statewide have given out the book since 2013. This year’s batch — all 86,000 copies of “Sleep Baby Safe And Snug” — arrived Thursday near the state capitol in a tractor-trailer adorned with a giant photo of a sleeping baby boy.

The book’s watercolor images and simple advice are designed to stand out from the bundle of info handed to new parents.

“When you’re in the hospital, they unload a lot of papers and brochures and information on you, right after you’ve had a baby. And it’s just a lot to take in and remember,” says Maura Hanke, whose nonprofit, Charlie’s Kids, has now given out 1 million copies in 46 states.

“Parents aren’t going to throw away a book,” she says, “especially a board book that they can read to their families … So hopefully they’re reading the book before bedtime to their baby and then it’s a great reminder for parents as well.”

The book explains the “ABCs” of safe sleep. A baby is supposed to sleep alone, on its back, in a crib, officials say.

The Hanke family — a teacher and a doctor — were moved to action
after their son died while napping face-down on his father’s chest in 2010.

Michael Warren, Tennessee’s top family health official, credits the book for a decline in fatalities, from 130 in 2012 (before the books arrival) down to 99 in 2014.

“So we’ve seen a 25 percent reduction, which, if you think in terms of moving big public health needles, that’s tremendous,” Warren says.

Sam Hanke says the couple had anecdotal information about the book’s impact.

“But really it’s today, and the great work that the Tennessee Department of Health has done … that’s actually saving babies’ lives, that is really special to us.”