How to Prevent SIDS
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You can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by taking the following preventive measures:
Parents-To-Be
1. Get medical care early in pregnancy, preferably within the first three months, followed by regular checkups at the doctor’s office or health clinic. Make every effort to assure good nutrition. These measures can reduce the risk of premature birth, a major risk factor for SIDS.
2. Do not smoke, use cocaine, or use heroin. Tobacco, cocaine, or heroin use during pregnancy increases the infant’s risk for SIDS.
3. Don’t get pregnant during the teenage years. If you are a teen and already have one infant, take extreme caution not to become pregnant again. The SIDS rate decreases for babies born to older mothers. It is highest for babies born to teenage mothers. The more babies a teen mother has, the greater at risk they are.
4. Wait at least one year between the birth of a child and the next pregnancy.The shorter the interval between pregnancies, the higher the SIDS rate.
Parents
1. Place infants to sleep on their backs, even though they may sleep more soundly on their stomachs. Infants who sleep on their stomachs and sides have a much higher rate of SIDS than infants who sleep on their backs.
2. Place infants to sleep in a baby bed with a firm mattress. There should be nothing in the bed but the baby – no covers, no pillows, no bumper pads, no positioning devices and no toys. Soft mattresses and heavy covering are associated with the risk for SIDS.
3. Keep your baby’s crib in the parents’ room until the infant is at least 6 months of age. Studies clearly show that infants are safest when their beds are close to their mothers.
4. Do not place your baby to sleep in an adult bed. Typical adult beds are not safe for babies. Do not fall asleep with your baby on a couch or in a chair.
5. Do not over-clothe the infant while she sleeps. Just use enough clothes to keep the baby warm without having to use cover. Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for you. Overheating an infant may increase the risk for SIDS.
6. Avoid exposing the infant to tobacco smoke. Don’t have your infant in the same house or car with someone who is smoking. The greater the exposure to tobacco smoke, the greater the risk of SIDS.
7. Breast-feed babies whenever possible. Breast milk decreases the occurrence of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Studies show that breast-fed babies have a lower SIDS rate than formula-fed babies do.
8. Avoid exposing the infant to people with respiratory infections. Avoid crowds. Carefully clean anything that comes in contact with the baby. Have people wash their hands before holding or playing with your baby. SIDS often occurs in association with relatively minor respiratory (mild cold) and gastrointestinal infections (vomiting and diarrhea).
9. Offer your baby a pacifier. Some studies have shown a lower rate of SIDS among babies who use pacifiers.
10. If your baby has periods of not breathing, going limp or turning blue, tell your pediatrician at once.
11. If your baby stops breathing or gags excessively after spitting up, discuss this with your pediatrician immediately.
12. Thoroughly discuss each of the above points with all caregivers. If you take your baby to daycare or leave him with a sitter, provide a copy of this list to them. Make sure they follow all recommendations.
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Comment by Sandra on Oct 08 2009 01:28:32:
Using the words “PREVENT sudden infant death” is very misleading. The suggested ideas you have merely (possibly) reduce the RISKS of SIDS, but there is nothing that can absolutely prevent it.
That being said, it’s so rare that a mother shouldn’t lose sleep over it anyways.
Also, co-sleeping with baby in the family bed actually reduces the risks of crib death. The study that said it doesn’t was done by the junior products commission – the people that manufacture cribs. Here’s an unbiased article about the wonderful, natural, and safe co-sleeping that every family should enjoy: http://thebabybond.com/Cosleeping&SIDSFactSheet.html.
Comment by Becky on Jul 10 2010 01:54:16:
Sandra has no idea what she is talking about. You should not post comments if you are going to make things up. SIDS is more common than most people think and there are MANY things you can do to prevent it. Do your research, talk to your pediatrician and follow the steps listed in this article.
Comment by Allison on Jul 10 2010 02:12:37:
Actually, Becky, Sandra is very well informed. You can’t prevent SIDS because no one knows what causes it. All you can do is try to minimize risk. 2,500 infants die of SIDS every year in the United States. That doesn’t make it rare, but it doesn’t mean you should lose sleep over it. And co-sleeping is very safe if done correctly. I have done the research, and I have spoken with my pediatrician who fully supports our decision to co-sleep. My six month-old is a happy and healthy co-sleeper. You, Becky, are the one who is misinformed.
Comment by Nancy Page on Feb 12 2011 07:47:49:
My three children never slept in a crib, as we always practiced co-sleeping and breastfeeding. But in 1980, my third baby, my beautiful 5-month old daughter, nearly died following a DPT/polio “booster.” I lost 10 pounds during that week of absolute terror. Her soft spot, or fontanel, was swollen, and doctors in Columbus, Ohio were unanimous in their pronouncments that they didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t the vaccines. She recovered from the vaccine injury with no other treatment than breastfeeding, which I continued for 2 more years. She is now a beautiful attorney licensed in 2 states with 3 unvaccinated (including the sneaky “vitamin K” shot given at birth) and uncircumcised children of her own. She walked through labor and transition, giving birth in an upright, kneeling position, which she found to be practically painless and bloodless. She refused all painful hospital procedures, and stayed only 1 day after the births, as most hospital practices are harmful to mothers and babies. Needless to say, our faith in mainstream medicine was destroyed in 1980. We avoid GMO foods, vaccines, drugs, fluoridated liquids, mercury fillings, and chemtrails which are all designed to kill, not cure, people.
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