At Carle Health we want your Baby to Sleep Safely
Sleep-related causes, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed, claim hundreds of infant lives yearly. Safe sleep practices are important for babies under 1 year old, especially in emergency shelters or temporary housing. These guidelines are specific to infants, not older children. To prevent suffocation, babies should be ALONE, on their BACK and in a safe, clutter-free CRIB for every sleep.
Safe Sleep Environment Recommendations
- Place infant on back (supine) to sleep for every sleep.
- Place infant on firm, flat (non-inclined) surface for every sleep, such as a safety-approved crib, bassinet, portable crib or cradle with a mattress covered with a fitted sheet only.
- Sitting devices like bouncy seats, swings, carriers or strollers should not be used for routine sleep.
- Keep infant sleep space in same room as caregivers. Room sharing but not bed sharing. Always place infant in a safety-approved sleep space, not caregiver bed.
- Never use pillows, loose blankets, quilts, sheepskins, bumper pads, stuffed animals or sleep positioning devices in the infants’ sleep area.
- Avoid overheating during sleep. Dress infant in light sleep clothes, keep room temperature comfortable for an adult and no hat for sleep.
- Place crib away from windows with blinds or curtain cords and away from monitors with cords to prevent strangulation.
Additional Infant Safe Sleep Recommendations
- Feed human milk (breastfeed, pump and feed and/or human donor milk).
- Caregivers avoid exposure to nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opioids and illicit drugs.
- Do not smoke during pregnancy or allow smoking around infant.
- Follow routine well checkup and immunization schedule.
- Offer a pacifier that is not attached to a string or stuffed animal for sleep after breastfeeding is well established.
Interested in learning more? Become a Cribs for Kids ® Safe Sleep Ambassador by visiting this link to register for free, view the module and receive a certificate. https://cribsforkids.teachable.com/p/safe-sleep-ambassador/
FREE Sleep Sacks for Our Community
As part of a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Carle Health wants your baby to Sleep Safer. If you would like a FREE safe sleep sack for your infant, you can pick one up at these locations:
Hult Center, 5215 Knoxville Ave, Peoria, IL 61614, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Crittenton Centers, Crisis Nursery, 442 W. John Gwynn Jr. Ave, Peoria, IL 61605, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Illinois Family Connects, 311 W. John Gwynn Jr. Ave, Peoria, IL 61605, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
One sleep sack per infant, while supplies last.
Helping Moms' Mental Wellness
Your mental health matters. Whether you’re currently pregnant or in your postpartum period, depression and anxiety are common during this time. In fact, 1 in 5 women experience depression during or after pregnancy. It can last weeks or months, interfering with daily routine, and it doesn’t feel the same for everyone. But the good news: It’s treatable and your doctor or midwife can help.
New moms have a lot to do. Sometimes they forget that they need to take care of themselves during the first few months with baby. That's why providers now call your initial 12 weeks at home "the fourth trimester." During this vital time, you are shifting from pregnancy into your new-normal mode.
Depression
If you have signs of depression, talk to your provider right away. They can help figure out if you have something more than standard "baby blues." Be alert for:
- Sad, hopeless, empty or overwhelmed feelings
- Frequent crying or crying for no reason
- Unusual anxiety or worry
- Anger or rage
- Constant worry that you can't take care of the baby
- Feelings that you can't bond or become attached to the baby
- Thoughts about hurting yourself or the baby
Sometimes depression shows up in other ways. You may:
- Oversleep or not be able to sleep
- Feel uninterested in your usual activities, including friends and family
- Have headaches, physical aches and pains, or stomach problems
- Overeat or not eat enough
Start Your Fourth Trimester with the Teal Bracelet
Carle Health Methodist is here to help you plan for this important time. One helpful tool is a postpartum plan, which organizations like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend. A postpartum plan is a list or document that helps you keep track of your health and organize help for you and baby.
One important part of your postpartum plan is communication. Your providers need to know you just had a baby, so that they can check for certain concerns, especially in an emergency.
Carle Methodist Birthing Center has this part of your plan covered. We send you home wearing a stylish teal bracelet. Doctors in our community know that it means you recently had a baby. We suggest you wear it for 6 weeks.
What Is a Postpartum Plan?
Your first months at home will be smoother if you have a process to move into parenthood. A postpartum care plan is helpful even if this is not your first baby. Start while you're pregnant and ask your providers and Methodist team for help.
What Should a Postpartum Plan Include?
Your plan may include a care plan and a support plan. A care plan is specific to your health needs. It might include changes in your prescriptions or conditions you should watch for, like signs of postpartum depression. A support plan helps you and your partner organize help with the baby and "you" time.
You and your provider can develop a care plan together. Your plan should help you move from pregnancy into well-woman mode. It should include your family plans so you and doctor can discuss contraceptive decisions.
Health Care Topics for a Postpartum Plan
You may want to discuss the following topics with your provider:
- Do I have medical or emotional conditions that may change during the postpartum period?
- Will any medications I take need to be adjusted?
- What signs of postpartum depression should my family or I look for?
- When is the best time for my first postpartum check-up?
- What did my provider and I learn about my health during pregnancy? How can I use that information to promote my well-woman health?
Postpartum Support Plan
Some moms create a postpartum support plan. It puts information about your "village" of support at your fingertips. You or your partner can reach out for help when you need it. Some things you might include in your postpartum support plan are:
- Support people's names and phone numbers
- List of people who can cook, coordinate a meal train or pick up groceries
- Information about other help people can provide, like sitting with baby so you can rest or shower, walking with you or offering parenting advice
- List of people to support the birth partner in the same way
- Information about people who can help with older siblings or pets
Postpartum Problems
While your baby's first months are a time of joy, you should be aware of a few things. Protect your health and watch for symptoms of:
- Sad, hopeless, empty or overwhelmed feelings
- Frequent crying or crying for no reason
- Unusual anxiety or worry
- Anger or rage
- Constant worry that you can't take care of the baby
- Feelings that you can't bond or become attached to the baby
- Thoughts about hurting yourself or the baby
Sometimes depression shows up in other ways. You may:
- Oversleep or not be able to sleep
- Feel uninterested in your usual activities, including friends and family
- Have headaches, physical aches and pains, or stomach problems
- Overeat or not eat enough
Carle Health Methodist offers Moms Matter mental health support group every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m. Our trained staff listens to you and gives you support during your transition.
Postpartum preeclampsia
This very rare condition occasionally occurs in the 6 weeks following pregnancy. It's one of the reasons your providers want you to wear the teal bracelet. Watch for the following signs and call your provider, 911 or go to the ED if you have them:
- Stomach pain
- Feeling nauseous or throwing up
- Swelling in your hands and face
- Severe headaches
- Seeing spots or other vision changes
- Shortness of breath
Excessive postpartum bleeding or hemorrhage
Some bleeding is common after you have a baby. But if you have excessive bleeding, you'll need to take action. Call your doctor if you have these postpartum bleeding symptoms:
- Bright red bleeding after 3 days post-birth
- Blood clots bigger than a plum
- Bleeding that soaks more than one pad in an hour and doesn't slow down or stop
- Blurred vision
- Chills or clammy skin
- Rapid heartbeat, dizziness, weakness or feeling faint
- Nausea
Lactation Support
In most cases, breastfeeding happens naturally for both mom and baby. But sometimes you may run into issues. Carle Methodist Birthing Center has your back with a host of programs available when you go home. Learn how we can help with breastfeeding support after you go home.
Postpartum Care
You and your provider should talk about your postpartum visit plan while you are pregnant. Your plan should focus on your individual health needs and consider issues you encountered during pregnancy. The newest recommendations for the fourth trimester are:
- Visit in first 3 weeks: An initial postpartum assessment with a maternal care provider in the first 3 weeks after giving birth, followed by ongoing care as needed
- Full visit within 3 months: A comprehensive postpartum visit no later than 12 weeks after birth, including a full review of your physical, social and psychological needs
- Customized follow-up as needed: Specific follow-up for women with conditions like hypertensive disorders, obesity, diabetes, thyroid disorders, renal disease, mood disorders or substance use disorders
- Specialized guidance for complications: Health advice for women who had pregnancy complications including preterm birth, gestational diabetes or hypertension
Pregnancy and Postpartum Resources for Greater Peoria
Here are some resources to help you stay healthy during this important time.
Crittenton Crisis Nursery: (309) 674-4125
Emergency childcare for children from birth to age 6. Provides education and support to new parents, parent workshops, home visiting program, parent/child activities, and donations as available.
Trillium Place
An Affiliate of Carle Health (888) 311-0321
WIC
Helps provide healthy food, information on nutrition, and referrals for healthcare for pregnant women and children.
Peoria County: (309) 679-6076
Tazewell County: (309) 925-0230
Woodford County: (309) 467-3064
Heart of Illinois 211: 211hoi.org or Dial 211
Call center to help find food, shelter, clothing, rent and utility assistance, transportation assistance, home delivered meals, childcare, after-school programs, and other resources within central Illinois.
Methodist Lactation: (309) 672-4242
Provides breastfeeding support and outpatient consultation.
igrow Central Illinois: (309) 687-7615
Connects families to resources through home-visiting programs. Home-visiting programs are offered by many community agencies. Home visitors can help ease the anxiety of being a parent; answer questions regarding child development; provide parenting tips; assess developmental milestones; provide ongoing activities for parents, children and families; and connect with other community services.
NorthShore University Health System Hotline: connect 24/7 by calling 1-866-364-6667
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: connect 24/7 by calling 1-833-943-5746
KidsHealth.org
A user-friendly website to access health information for physical, emotional and behavioral topics for children from birth through the teenage years.
Postpartum Support International: postpartum.net
If you are struggling with emotions or having negative thoughts, call or text 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD) to connect with a professional.
Carle Health is here for you and your family. We encourage you to reach out to your primary care provider or pediatrician for questions, concerns or more information on these subjects.
