HOLLAND, Mich. — A Holland Hospital neonatal nurse practitioner is urging parents and caregivers to follow safe sleep practices, nearly 40 years after her family lost a 4-month-old girl to sudden infant death syndrome.
WATCH: Holland Hospital nurse shares safe sleep guidance after family loss
Nancy Westendorp has worked at Holland Hospital for nearly four decades. Her niece, Stephanie, died at a time when practices now considered unsafe were common.
“That was normal then. It was on her belly on a soft surface and overdressed, just for a nap, you know, just for a nap, just for a bit because she was asleep,” Westendorp said.
According to state data, 130 Michigan babies died from sudden unexpected infant deaths in 2024, about half the number reported in 1989, before national safe sleep efforts took hold.
For Westendorp, the loss is something her family still carries.
“You overfeed, you underfeed. All of those things are fixable, but this one is not, and to live with the grief, I watched my family members live through the grief, and we still talk about it,” Westendorp said. “My sister-in-law is honored that I keep talking about it. We talk about it every year, on her birthday, on her passing day, and how I am in a space in my role that I can continue to honor her.”
Westendorp now uses her experience to educate families about the ABCs of safe sleep: Babies should sleep alone, on their backs and in a clear crib.
“A clear crib means no blankets, no pillows, no positioners, no stuffed animals. Yes, it's a very boring bed,” Westendorp said.
The sleep surface should also be firm, flat and level, and caregivers should avoid overheating or overdressing a baby. Babies should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch or in an armchair.
Following those recommendations can become harder when parents are exhausted.
“Fatigue sets in, and choices get made, and sometimes they're not the wisest choices,” Westendorp said.
Westendorp encourages parents to establish safe sleep habits and keep returning to them as their babies grow.
“Establishing the pattern, even if it's difficult, to continue to try to work on the patterning, and even after a week of one method, go back to the safe sleep and try again,” Westendorp said.
Families who are struggling can turn to Holland Hospital's Boven Birth Center, which offers parent advocates, lactation support and childbirth education. Parents can also contact their primary care providers for additional help and resources.
Westendorp said grandparents and other caregivers should also learn current recommendations because some commonly accepted practices have changed significantly over the decades.
“Most of us who are grandparents were done being parents to infants at that point in time, so we know what we did to help our babies sleep,” Westendorp said. “We put them on their bellies. ‘Oh, they'll sleep better on their bellies.’ But that is also one of the things that we have determined contributes to sudden infant death. ‘Oh, just sleep with your baby,’ and that is also a contributor.”
For Westendorp, Stephanie remains part of the family 40 years later. Her sister-in-law went on to have two more children, who are now adults.
“One of those children now has a daughter who he named Stephanie, so in honor of his sister,” Westendorp said. “So, keeping her memory alive.”
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