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We Need Your Vote!
Lehigh Valley Children's Centers (LVCC) has been nominated for a $1,000 PPL community grant. To select the winner, PPL Corporation has created a Facebook contest for non-profit organizations. It's easy to help us win:
2. "Like" PPL (PPLElectric) on Facebook.
3. Vote for Lehigh Valley Children's Centers, listed on the second page of nominees.
4. Spread the word! Share the link with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
The non-profit organization receiving the most votes gets the grant. VOTE FOR LVCC
BEFORE JANUARY 10!! If LVCC wins, we will use the grant to support the LVCC Scholarship Fund.
As an added bonus, show Lehigh Valley Children's Centers how much you "Like" us on our Facebook page! Thank you for your support.
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Give Lehigh Valley children the highest quality early education available. Our future depends on tomorrow's leaders.
Click Here to Make a Donation
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6 Things You Should Know About Your Infant's Sleep
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You dreamed about the day your baby would arrive. Your friends and family showered you with gifts of diapers and tiny outfits. At last, she's here! And suddenly all the fears rush in as you lay your newborn down to sleep. What if she stops breathing?
Certain sleep environments have been linked to an increased risk of accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 4,000 otherwise healthy infants (0-12 months old) unexpectedly die during sleep yearly in the United States. Over half suffer from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib death.
Instead of peeking in the room every five minutes or being glued to the monitor, follow these tips for infants up to 12 months old to keep your child's sleep environment safe and comfortable.
1. Cribs have expiration dates. It's great that your sister gave you her child's crib. But how old is it? Older cribs have wider gaps between the rails which can create a strangulation hazard. Drop-sided cribs also run the risk of injuring your child. Do not use a broken or modified crib. Your best bet- stick with a crib that meets current federal safety standards (presently, cribs sold after June 28, 2011).
2. Firmer is better. As crib mattresses age, they become saggy or the coils may start to poke through. Reduce the risk of SIDS with a firm mattress. Avoid laying your infant on any soft sleep surface, especially your own bed.
3. Bare is best. To prevent accidental suffocation or  strangulation in bed, baby is the only thing that should go into the crib. Blankets, pillows, bumper pads and toys are all safety hazards. To keep your child warm, place her in a sleep sack (wearable blanket) over her sleep clothing.
4. Back to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends always placing infants on their backs to sleep. Don't use wedges or props to position the child.
5. Turn down the heat. To prevent an infant from overheating, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests for room temperature between 65o-70oF. Feel her ears and fingers. If she's hot, red, and sweaty, she's too warm.
6. Think twice about swaddling. Although swaddling is a common method used to calm a crying baby at home, child care centers are discouraged from following this practice. A swaddled infant that rolls onto her stomach, overheating from excessive swaddling, or swaddling too tightly could all increase the risk of serious health outcomes.1 A child develops best when allowed to assume another sleeping position by herself.
So forget the plush toys and turn down the heat this winter. Using these best practices, you and your little one will enjoy a restful night of sleep- or at least, until it's time for a feeding.
1 American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. 2011. Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Early Care and Early Education Programs. 3rd Edition. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.
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