Pediatricians Partner with Grandmothers to Help Babies Sleep Safely

Pediatricians are among the most trusted figures in the U.S. At the American Academy of Pediatrics, that trust is both a source of pride and a privilege, rooted in the bond pediatricians share with families.

The AAP also knows that parents connect with different messengers in different ways. Recently, a donor-supported grant from the AAP helped a Georgia pediatrician mobilize a particularly special group of ambassadors to help keep babies safe when they sleep: grandmas.

A large, diverse population of immigrants lives in Atlanta, including more than 60,000 refugees who’ve settled there since the 1980s. Cosleeping, which puts babies at risk of sudden unexpected infant death, is common in many of their cultures. Yet the safe sleep resources available locally didn’t reflect the diversity of languages or cultural practices.

Andrew Potter, D.O., FAAP, a third-year resident with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, wanted to better understand the infant sleep challenges facing local Swahili- and Amharic-speaking parents. With support from an AAP Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) resident grant, he and his team organized focus groups to learn about their experiences and create educational materials that would resonate.

Their answers were illuminating: New moms from Congo and Tanzania highly valued the advice they received from experienced mothers, even more than from healthcare providers. They were also influenced by cultural practices, such as keeping babies close at night so they wouldn’t get cold. One mother said that sharing a bed helped reassure her that the baby was breathing.

These responses revealed something pediatricians know well: Every parent wants to do what’s best for their children. When we keep that shared goal in mind, we can be so much more effective.

The project gave pediatricians the opportunity to really listen and empathize with these families, turning what they shared into practical tools. As a result, Dr. Potter and team realized the messenger would make all the difference in how the information landed.

“Share the Room, Not the Bed,” an educational video produced by the team, features a grandmother talking to a new mom about safe sleep. The video succeeds for three reasons: It’s in Swahili, erasing the language barrier. It acknowledges the cultural importance of keeping baby near while guiding parents toward safer sleeping arrangements. And it uses a deeply respected figure as an ambassador.

Dr. Potter’s team is now producing a video in Amharic, based on a focus group with mothers from Ethiopia and Eritrea. This work can continue beyond that, reaching more families, in more languages, with guidance that is as respectful as it is medically sound.

By listening first, building trust, and offering guidance that honors families’ language, culture, and lived experience, pediatricians can help protect babies in ways that honor who they are—all thanks to the strength of the AAP donor community.