As we begin a new year, many of us in the safe sleep community are carrying the weight of change. Across the country, programs that families and professionals have relied on for years have been reduced or defunded, creating real challenges for those working to protect infants during their most vulnerable months.

And yet, our collective commitment remains strong.

At Cribs for Kids, we enter 2026 grounded, resilient, and ready. Thanks to the strength of our partners, the dedication of professionals in the field, and a shared belief that every baby deserves a safe place to sleep, our work continues to grow and evolve. Together, we are meeting families where they are, expanding access to education and resources, and turning evidence into action in communities nationwide.

This issue of the Safe Sleep Spotlight reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re headed, highlighting opportunities to learn, connect, and build on the progress we made together in 2025. We’re grateful to stand alongside you as we move forward into another year of life-saving work.

Winter Webinar: Building on the Conversation, January 22, 2026

The Safe Sleep Champions Webinar Series continues to be one of the most meaningful ways Cribs for Kids brings the national safe sleep community together. Each quarter, these conversations create space to reflect, learn, and connect across disciplines, grounding our work in evidence while keeping families at the center.

As we begin a new year, we’re excited to invite you to our Winter Webinar, Advancing Action with Evidence & Education: Lessons Learned Across 2025 to Our Work in 2026, taking place on January 22, 12–1 PM ET. This session builds directly on prior conversations and looks ahead to how research, data, and lived experience can continue to shape safer sleep practices nationwide.

In January 2025, Dr. Gina Lowell and Dr. Kyran Quinlan joined us for a powerful discussion on infant safe sleep, prevention, and the realities families and professionals face in the field. That conversation laid important groundwork for understanding how evidence translates into action at the community level. As we prepare for the Winter Webinar, we encourage participants to revisit that discussion as a way to ground the upcoming session in shared context and reflection. Watch the January 2025 webinar above to revisit this important conversation and set the stage for our upcoming Winter Webinar.

This year, Dr. Lowell and Dr. Quinlan will be joined by Dr. Mary Beth Howard, whose work in pediatric emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University brings an essential clinical lens to the conversation. Dr. Howard’s research explores how infant illness and acute care settings intersect with real-world sleep practices, offering insights rooted in moments of stress, urgency, and vulnerability for families.

Together, these three leaders represent the intersection of clinical care, research, public health, and prevention. Their collective experience spans emergency medicine, injury prevention, health equity, and child death review, providing a comprehensive perspective on where safe sleep efforts have been and where they need to go next.

The Winter Webinar offers an opportunity to reflect on lessons from 2025, deepen shared understanding, and look ahead to how evidence can continue to drive meaningful, compassionate action in 2026. We hope you’ll join us for this thoughtful and forward-looking conversation.

2026 National Cribs for Kids Conference: Call for Abstracts and Registration Open January 22

As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to share that both conference registration and the call for abstracts for the 9th National Cribs for Kids Conference will open on January 22, 2026.

Returning in person to Pittsburgh from September 29 through October 2, 2026, the National Cribs for Kids Conference will once again bring together professionals, researchers, advocates, and partners from across the country who are committed to helping every baby sleep safer.

This year’s theme, Safe Sleep: Rooted in Evidence, Branching into Action, reflects our shared commitment to grounding our work in research while translating knowledge into meaningful, real-world change. The conference will provide space for collaboration, learning, and honest dialogue around what is working, where gaps remain, and how we can collectively strengthen safe sleep efforts in diverse communities.

The call for abstracts, open from January 22 through May 1st, invites submissions from across disciplines, including healthcare, public health, child welfare, public safety, community-based programs, and research. We encourage professionals and advocates at all stages of their careers to consider sharing their work and contributing to the national conversation.

Early registration will also open January 22 and run through June 30, followed by late registration through September 18. Additional details about registration, presenters, and conference programming will be released in the coming months.

We look forward to gathering again in Pittsburgh to learn from one another, build connections, and continue advancing infant safe sleep together.

2025 in Review: Steady Progress in a Year of Change

The past year brought meaningful shifts across the public health and safe sleep landscape. As systems evolved and priorities changed, families and professionals continued to seek trusted guidance, practical education, and reliable support to help protect babies during their most vulnerable months.

In 2025, Cribs for Kids met that moment with focus, collaboration, and resolve.

Education remained central to our work throughout the year. The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program continued to expand in 2025, supporting hospitals in delivering consistent, evidence-based safe sleep education to families before discharge. By strengthening systems of education at the earliest points of care, the program reinforced the importance of clear, unified messaging during a critical window for caregivers.

Another significant milestone was the development and launch of the Professional Training Series, expanding education beyond foundational messaging and offering targeted learning for professionals across child welfare, home visiting, child care, and other disciplines. Designed to be practical, current, and rooted in evidence, the series reinforced Cribs for Kids’ commitment to meeting professionals where they are and supporting meaningful, real-world conversations with families.

The Safe Sleep Academy also entered a new chapter in 2025 with a thoughtful redesign that improved navigation, expanded content, and strengthened its role as a trusted hub for safe sleep education. With updated resources, videos, and interactive tools, the Academy continued to serve parents, caregivers, and professionals alike, ensuring that clear, evidence-based guidance remained accessible.

Partnership was a defining theme throughout the year. The Managed Care Organization (MCO) program expanded its reach, strengthening pathways for families to access safe sleep education and resources through healthcare systems. Cribs for Kids also deepened its commitment to military families through military baby showers, supporting expectant parents with education and essential safe sleep items during moments of transition and service.

In collaboration with The Baby Safety Foundation and Safe Kids Worldwide, Cribs for Kids launched the Building Blocks Mini Grant Program, supporting community-based organizations working to strengthen infant safety efforts at the local level. This partnership-driven initiative reinforced the importance of investing in grassroots solutions while maintaining consistent, evidence-based messaging nationwide.

Connecting directly with families remained just as important as system-level work. Through public-facing events like Babies & Bumps, Cribs for Kids staff engaged caregivers face-to-face, sharing safe sleep guidance, answering questions, and building trust through conversation. These moments highlighted the power of education delivered with compassion and clarity.

Throughout the year, Cribs for Kids staff also participated in regional and national conferences, creating opportunities to learn from peers, strengthen partnerships, and share best practices. These in-person connections deepened relationships across sectors and ensured Cribs for Kids remained both a listener and a leader within the safe sleep community.

Beyond education and partnerships, 2025 also marked continued growth for ette cetera!, Cribs for Kids’ mission-driven online shop. With the expansion of new product offerings, ette cetera! provided families with access to high-quality baby essentials while directly supporting Cribs for Kids programs. Every purchase helped reinvest in education, outreach, and safe sleep initiatives, reinforcing the connection between everyday choices and life-saving impact.

In a year increasingly shaped by misinformation, Cribs for Kids remained a steady, credible voice. Through the expansion of our Safe Sleep Ambassador training, our Safe Sleep Champions Webinar Series, and ongoing resource development, evidence was consistently translated into practical tools and conversations that professionals and caregivers could trust and use with confidence.

At the same time, 2025 was a year of preparation. Planning began for the return of the National Cribs for Kids Conference in 2026, signaling renewed opportunities for in-person collaboration and shared learning. This forward momentum reflected confidence in the strength of the safe sleep community and a continued commitment to advancing the work together.

As we reflect on 2025, one truth stands out: the work did not slow. It evolved, expanded, and deepened through education, partnership, and connection. As we move into 2026, Cribs for Kids remains grounded in evidence, strengthened by collaboration, and united in the shared goal of helping every baby sleep safer.

Stay connected with the Safe Sleep Spotlight Monthly Newsletter for the latest updates on our programs, products, and upcoming events. Each month, we share important information about fundraising opportunities, impactful awareness campaigns, and the latest news in infant safe sleep. Thank you for being a part of our mission to ensure every baby sleeps safely. Together, with our partners, supporters, and community, we are making a difference.

Please email info@cribsforkids.org with any personnel changes, address changes, or contact email addresses to keep our database current. Names and address changes made via our ordering system don’t automatically update our database.