SIDS Alert
It's the first rule in the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS), and it saves about 3,000 babies' lives annually: During the first year,
always put your infant down to sleep on his back, and keep the crib free of
unnecessary fluff such as pillows and stuffed toys. Since the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) issued the Back to Sleep recommendation in 1992, the incidence
of SIDS has dropped by nearly 50 percent. However, it remains the leading cause
of infant death in the United States, and experts worry that not everyone is
getting the message. Be vigilant: Remind grandparents, childcare providers - anyone
who looks after your baby.
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"Back to Sleep" are the official buzzwords for bedtime (see "SIDS Alert," left), but during waking hours, more and more babies these days are doing time on their tummies.
Think of it as a miniworkout for your infant: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends that babies get some "tummy time" every day to promote upper-body strength and coordination and to help prevent flattening of the head. There is no "right" duration for a session, but baby should be awake and observed throughout.
Tummy time is a direct descendant of the Back to Sleep campaign to prevent SIDS. "Some parents got carried away and thought babies should never be on their stomachs, even when they were awake," says John Kattwinkel, M.D., chair of the AAP Task Force on Infant Sleep Position and SIDS. Experts also found that back-sleeping babies took a bit longer to achieve certain motor milestones, such as crawling. (Though they catch up by 18 months of age, says Kattwinkel.)
Like any other fitness craze, tummy time has spawned classes, toys and accessories. Do you need them? Maybe. Babies are unaccustomed to the prone position, so tummy time might start out as fussy time. In fact, you may have to increase the duration gradually. "If a toy makes it more pleasant, then
I think it's a good idea," says Kattwinkel. Better yet, get down on the floor with your baby and participate:
No toy can beat a parent's undivided attention.
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