HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A doctor at Homestead Hospital is doing something to help families keep their newborns safe.
Homestead Hospital, which delivers an average of 1,400 babies a year, is the first in South Florida to give away sleep sacks to new babies and their families.
Dr. Darren Salinger is funding the initiative. He said a sleep sack is the best way to keep newborns safe.
Doctors determined most infant deaths occur between 2 and 4 months old.
Eight babies brought to Homestead Hospital in 2018 died from sleep-related deaths. That's a number that doesn't sit well with hospital staff.
"It's about as traumatic a problem as I've ever seen," Salinger said.
Local 10 News was there as Shantel Gibson became the first mother to receive a sleep sack for her newborn son, Kevin.
Homestead Hospital is the first in South Florida to hand out sleep sacks to mothers with newborns. We were there for the first mother to receive hers 😃 @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/CUtUlw1UMX
— Parker Branton (@ParkerWPLG) March 13, 2019
Gibson has seen first-hand how sudden infant death syndrome can impact families and said she was honored to be the first to receive a free sleep sack.
Homestead Hospital wants to make sure all parents of newborns go home with one.