Milton, Fla. — As September is Infant Mortality Awareness Month, the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County (DOH-Santa Rosa) raises awareness of practicing important safety precautions and education to keep babies safe and healthy.

 ABCs of Safe Sleep

The ABCs of safe sleep should be practiced for children under 1 year of age to reduce sleep-related deaths.

• Alone: Your baby should sleep alone; adult beds are dangerous for babies.
• Back: Your baby should sleep on his or her back.
• Crib: Your baby should sleep in a crib, bassinet, or other approved infant sleep surface. 

DOH-Santa Rosa offers programs for expecting and new mothers to improve parent confidence and promote safe sleep, including no cost portable cribs. Healthy baby bags are also provided to parents with babies under the age of 1 who come in to DOH-Santa Rosa for the baby’s birth certificate.

Breastfeeding Classes

DOH-Santa Rosa’s Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) program offers a breastfeeding class that introduces expectant or new parents to the basics of breastfeeding, the benefits of breastfeeding, and helpful resources.

Classes are offered every Thursday and class times alternate between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the following location:

DOH-Santa Rosa Milton Office
5527 Stewart St.
Milton, FL 32570 

Breastfeeding classes are also offered on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. at the following location:

DOH-Santa Rosa Midway Office
5840 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

The Milky Way Breastfeeding Group

The Milky Way is a local breastfeeding group in Santa Rosa County for new and expectant parents to share experiences, ask questions, offer encouragement, and receive guidance on breastfeeding. The group meets once a month on the first Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon at the following location:

Covington Mercantile & Coffee
5675 Highway 90
Milton, Florida 32583

Meetings are open to the public and hosted by DOH-Santa Rosa’s trained breastfeeding staff members in WIC. Infants, toddlers, and children are welcome to join.

For more information on keeping infants safe and healthy, contact DOH-Santa Rosa WIC at 850-983-5250.

Low-Cost Car Seats for Families

DOH-Santa Rosa provides low-cost car seats to families in need. Parents receiving the car seat will receive education on proper car seat installation from a certified passenger safety technician. Car seats are available by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call 850-564-2274.