(September 15, 2025, DuBois, Pennsylvania) – When JoAnne and Andrew Nortum, of St. Marys, PA, left Penn Highlands DuBois with their new daughter, Mikada, they also had a comfortable sleep sack swaddle and education on its safe usage in hand to help keep their baby safe.
Penn Highlands DuBois is introducing a new program to help keep babies safe while they are sleeping. Through a generous grant from BHE GT&S, a BHE Pipeline Group Company, the “Safe Sleep Begins at Birth” Program provides parents with a complimentary sleep sack for their baby.
A sleep sack swaddle is a baby garment that combines the features of both a traditional swaddle and a sleep sack, allowing for a more flexible transition from full swaddling. The swaddle mimics the womb providing a sense of security and comfort. Sleep sack swaddles are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as they help decrease the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Paired with the educational materials, the sleep sack swaddles will offer a safe way for families to keep their babies warm.
Every baby born at Penn Highlands DuBois, including those in the NICU, benefit from this program which is part of Penn Highlands DuBois’ safe sleep initiative to help reduce the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).
The SUID statistics are alarming. According to the AAP, each year in the United States, approximately 3,500 infants die of sleep-related infant deaths, including sudden infant death syndrome, ill-defined deaths and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. The Jewish Healthcare Foundation reports that a shocking 61% of these deaths occur in unsafe sleep environments.
The AAP recommends a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of all sleep-related deaths. This includes positioning the baby on its back; use of a firm, non-inclined sleep surface; room sharing without bed sharing; and avoidance of soft bedding and overheating.
“Penn Highlands DuBois is dedicated to promoting safe sleep. By providing a sleep swaddle for every newborn, we aim to significantly improve outcomes for our tiniest patients” said Suzanne McCullough, BSN, RN-NIC Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Apnea-Reflux/Developmental Clinic at Penn Highlands DuBois. “Unintentional suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death in infants under 12 months old. Replacing traditional blankets with a sleep sack swaddle offers a safe sleep solution and will help to prevent accidental suffocation.”
Sharon Shattenberg, RN, BSN, Maternal Child Service Line Director for Penn Highlands DuBois, added, “Swaddling your baby can calm your baby and help the baby sleep in the correct position – on their backs for safe sleep.”
“At BHE GT&S, we’re proud to make a positive difference in the communities we call home. By offering both our time and resources, we support local organizations and services that help those communities thrive. We believe in being a thoughtful and engaged partner, working together for stronger, more vibrant communities,” said Justin Bundy, Manager of Gas Transmission Operations.
“We’re so thankful to BHE GT&S for awarding Penn Highlands DuBois a grant to launch the Safe Sleep Begins at Birth Program,” said Sam Vida, Fund Development Specialist.
To keep this program going, Penn Highlands Healthcare needs community support. To donate to this important initiative, visit giving.phhealthcare.org/newborn and select Safe Sleep from the dropdown menu.
For more information on how you can contribute, contact the Penn Highlands Healthcare Fund Development office directly at 814-375-3901 or phhfunddevelopment@phhealthcare.org.
Penn Highlands DuBois is committed to promoting safe sleep and is part of the Pennsylvania Safe Sleep Program. This program aims to reduce unexpected infant deaths by promoting safe sleep practices and educating healthcare providers, parents, and community members on SUID. Pennsylvania Safe Sleep recommends following the ABCs of safe sleep. Babies should always be placed to sleep ALONE, on their BACK and in their own CRIB. Unsafe sleep environments — such as a baby falling off a bed, becoming tangled in bedding or getting stuck between a mattress and a wall — pose serious risks, including injury or death.
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Penn Highlands Healthcare was officially formed in 2011 and is comprised of nine hospitals. Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, Penn Highlands Connellsville, Penn Highlands DuBois, Penn Highlands Elk, Penn Highlands Huntingdon, Penn Highlands Mon Valley, Penn Highlands Tyrone have served area communities for the past 100+ years. Penn Highlands State College is a new state-of-the-art hospital that opened in 2024. The health system’s business continuum also includes a home care agency, long-term care facilities and residential senior living communities, as well as durable medical equipment companies and retail pharmacies.
Penn Highlands Healthcare has evolved into an organization with approximately 6,200 employees in 150+ locations throughout 26 counties in Pennsylvania that include community medical buildings, outpatient facilities, surgery centers and physician practices. The facilities have a total of 1,396 inpatient, skilled nursing and personal care beds. The system, which has 849 physicians and 427 advanced practice providers on staff, offers a wide range of care and treatments with specialty units for cancer, cardiovascular/thoracic, neurosurgery, pulmonology, neonatal and high-risk pregnancy patients. Being focused on what is important – patients and families – makes Penn Highlands Healthcare a great choice for healthcare in the region.