SUFFOLK, Va. — The Trump administration recently cut federal funding for the Safe to Sleep campaign, a public awareness campaign launched over 30 years ago with one goal: preventing babies from dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.
The campaign is credited with helping to prevent thousands of unexplained infant deaths, according to the National Institute of Health.
Zina Brockman, a Suffolk mother and doula, says she's disappointed in the federal cut.
"We’re taking away funding that will help disparities in many communities. It’s really sad and scary," Brockman said.
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The Safe to Sleep campaign gives safety guidelines and recommendations for babies.
A few of the recommendations include:
- Babies should always be put to sleep on their backs
- Babies should sleep alone in a crib or bassinet with a firm, fitted sheet
- Toys and blankets should be kept away from babies to avoid suffocation risks
- Breastfeed if possible and avoid smoking
Brockman is a mother of eight and a doula who assists mothers in childbirth.
"First time moms have no idea. If you lay a baby on their belly and let them sleep, they’re going to be very comfortable," Brockman said. "So if you don’t tell me that, I’m not gonna follow that. So without this information and education, how will I know?"
Dr. Ryan Light, a family medicine doctor who is also trained in pediatrics, says he was shocked when he learned the Safe to Sleep campaign was cut.
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"Why would they do that?" Light posited. "That doesn’t make sense. However, I started to think about it and said it’s nothing new coming out in this campaign. It’s been there, nothing changes much over the last 10 years."
In 2022, there were about 3,700 sudden unexpected infant deaths in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Dr. Light believes it the federal funding cuts won’t have an impact on patients.
"Even without NIH sponsoring it or the campaign going away, it’s become the standard of medicine," Light said.
