Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a very scary term and is defined as the death of an infant under one year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly without explanation. SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between one month old and one year of age. Here we will discuss potential factors that can increase your baby’s risk for SIDS as well as the recommended practices to reduce your baby’s risk for SIDS.
Identified risk factors for SIDS include:
Prone sleep position
Sleeping on a soft surface
Co-sleeping or bed sharing (including co-bedding of twins)
Maternal smoking during pregnancy
Second hand smoke exposure
Overheating
Limited-to-no prenatal care
Young maternal age or advanced maternal age
Preterm birth and/or low birth weight
Toys, loose bedding, other objects and pillows in the crib
Formula-fed infant
Male gender of the infant
Being African American, American Indian, or Alaskan Native
Safe to Sleep Practices:
Bed should be flat and mattress should be firm
Place infant on their back to sleep (tummy time only when awake & supervised)
Keep soft objects (stuffed animals) and loose bedding, blankets, pillows, etc. out of crib
Do not use crib bumpers
Infant should not be swaddled in his sleep area
Do not smoke or let anyone smoke around your baby
Baby should sleep alone in his own crib
Learn more here! https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov