Columbia Pacific CCO offers baby boxes to promote sleep safety and convenience

Tillamook, Ore.—Columbia Pacific CCO is partnering with local health care providers and public health departments to promote sleep safety and convenience by giving out Finnish-style baby boxes to expectant mothers at a prenatal visit.

“It’s such a simple idea — keeping your baby close while they sleep — and so convenient,” said Safina Koreishi, MD, medical director for Columbia Pacific CCO. “The boxes are designed by pediatricians and sleep safety experts. All of the components of the boxes meet or exceed Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) bassinet standards, yet they are lightweight to carry and very sturdy in terms of weight capacity.”

The baby boxes promote sleep safety and convenience for the family. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing and provides evidence that this decreases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by as much as 50 percent. Additionally, infants should not sleep on a soft surface, like an adult bed, sofa or couch. If you have questions talk to your health care provider about sleeping arrangements.
“Sleep safety is an important part of raising our children,” said Dr. Koreishi. “Traditional sleep spaces, like cribs or bassinets, are often not portable enough or convenient. Being able to have their baby sleep safely, within reach, allows exhausted parents to get some much-needed rest without the risks of co-sleeping in the same bed.”
The boxes are made of water-repellent corrugated material with seamless construction that makes them strong and very durable. They come equipped with a CertiPUR-certified mattress, a 100 percent cotton sheet and information on sleep safety.
The Finnish-style baby box program was launched in 1938 and has helped Finland achieve one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. Ranked 56th in the world, the United States barely breaks the top 25 percent in infant mortality, falling behind such countries as Bosnia-Herzegovina and Latvia.
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About Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization
Established in September 2012, Columbia Pacific CCO coordinates health services for more than 23,000 Oregon Health Plan members in Columbia, Clatsop and Tillamook counties. For more information, please visit www.colpachealth.org.