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OREGON CITY, Or. -- The leading cause of preventable infant deaths in Clackamas County is bedsharing -– parents or caregivers sleeping with their babies in bed with them.
The risk increases when caregivers are impaired.
On Oct. 23, volunteers from local police departments, public health, social service agencies and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office will distribute educational materials to businesses and locations, such as parks, libraries and laundromats, where parents of young children gather. The businesses include liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries. The handouts and flyers highlight the importance of safe sleep practices for infants.
“Sharing a bed with your baby, especially if you’ve used marijuana, alcohol, medication that makes you tired, or any other illicit substance is the biggest risk factor in sleep related infant deaths,” said Cassie Stewart McCarthy, a Clackamas County Public Health nursing supervisor who is assisting with the outreach effort.
The county’s Child Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Team Fatality Review Committee found that bed-sharing was a factor in six infant deaths since 2023. Marijuana and/or alcohol use by parents may have been a factor in some of the fatalities.
Here are two recent incidents:
A month-old infant had been asleep with both parents in the home. The mother woke up realizing she had missed her alarm signaling the baby’s feeding. She immediately checked on the infant and found the baby unresponsive. The infant had a well-child check just one day prior, with no concerns. Both parents indicated they regularly use marijuana and alcohol in the home.
An infant had been asleep with their father on a king-size bed. The father woke up just before 5 a.m. and sensed something was wrong because the baby hadn’t woken him up at the usual time during the night. The baby, born prematurely, was seen by a pediatrician the day before with no reported concerns. The infant had been asleep on its side and had its face pressed against the fluffy blanket it had been sleeping on. Both parents reported smoking marijuana in the home.
Oct. 23 event details
Location
Circle of Honor, the plaza immediately in front of the Clackamas County Courthouse, 1000 Courthouse Road, Oregon City
Schedule
9-9:30 a.m. – Speakers
Amy Hatton, Children’s Center, Multi-Disciplinary Team Fatality Review Committee coordinator
Cassie Stewart McCarthy, a Clackamas County Public Health nursing supervisor
Sarah Smith, Children’s Center nurse practitioner, Chair of the Clackamas County Drug
Endangered Children’s Alliance
Scott Healy, Clackamas County First Assistant District Attorney
Hatton, Stewart, Smith and Healy will be available for interviews.
9:30-10 a.m. – Safe Sleep training for volunteers
10 a.m. – Noon – Countywide distribution of safe sleep materials
The campaign coincides with Safe Sleep Awareness Month.
Here are safe sleep strategies to help reduce the risk of sudden unexplained infant deaths (SUID). Find more information.
- Put baby to sleep in a safety-approved crib, bassinet or portable crib
- Baby’s sleep area should have a firm sleep surface/mattress, a tight-fitting sheet and nothing else
- Baby should sleep in the same room as the parent or caregiver
- Baby should sleep on their back
- Do not overheat or overdress
- Breastfeed your baby if possible (data shows that breastfeeding reduces the risk of SUID
- At 3-4 weeks, offer a pacifier if breastfeeding is going well
- Make your home and car smoke-free
- The risk for SUID goes up significantly if parents or caregivers bedshare while using substances, including alcohol and marijuana
Media contact: Scott Anderson, Clackamas County Public Information Officer
Phone: 503-318-1448
Email: dapio@clackamas.us