Research & Sources

One of our primary goals is to reach out to new or young mothers who may not have a support system or access to resources or current guidelines. The statistics on infant mortality in South Dakota are alarmingly high, and it is our hope to reduce these numbers by providing information on how mothers and babies can lead safe, healthy lives.

There are a number of ways we can work together to help educate South Dakota mothers on a variety of healthy baby topics including:

Breastfeeding
Prenatal care
Smoking Cessation
Proper weight gain
Nutrition
Early pregnancy detection
SIDS
Safe sleep

We understand there are varying professional and personal opinions with regard to safe bed-sharing. The recommendations on our website and supported by the Governor’s Task Force on Infant Mortality follow those of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In 2011 the AAP convened a task force to study the available research pertaining to infant sleep practices prior to publishing updated recommendations. The Academy’s collaborators included many organizations who work to prevent infant sleep- related deaths such as the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Division of Reproductive Health; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; First Candle; and the Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs.

We have included links to two documents which explain the process used by the American Academy of Pediatrics in developing their most recent recommendations:

Again, thank you for your concern, for your ongoing dialogue and for your support of healthy moms and healthy babies.