The term SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (also named crib death or cot death), tends to create a state of fear in many parents and parents to be. It is something that all of us worry about and remains in our minds during those early months in our children's lives. It causes many restless nights and the endless checking on our babies to make sure they are breathing.
What Is SIDs
SIDS is the sudden death of a baby under the age of one while they are sleeping. According to the NIH (National Institute of Health), SIDS is the leading cause of infant death between the ages of 1 month and 1 year of age and most of these deaths occur between 2 and 4 months of life.
Best Ways To Prevent SIDs
"Back to Sleep" - This is a campaign that you have probably heard about. Pediatrician's will recommend that you always put a baby to sleep on their backs. There is belief that placing a baby on their stomach may cause them to inhale too much Carbon Dioxide or smother themselves if they are unable to move their heads effectively when they are in danger. They also recommend that you don't put a baby to sleep on their sides either. Breastfeeding - Some studies have found that there is a lower incidence of SIDS in breastfed infants. A proper sleeping environment - A baby's bed should be free of any object that may smother them or prevent proper air circulation. This includes crib bumpers, pillows, blankets, comforters and stuffed animals. Instead of a blanket, dress your baby in warm pajamas or use a "sleep sack" over their PJ's. The baby's sleeping surface should also be firm and sheets should be tight fitting over the mattress. Room environment - The baby's room shouldn't be too warm allowing them to overheat. Dress them comfortably as you would yourself. Fans have also been found to lower the incidence of SIDS by providing proper air circulation/ventilation. Pacifiers - These have been found to reduce the risk of SIDS. Some doctors think that pacifiers keep a baby from sleeping to deeply and allow them to wake up easier if they are in trouble. Never force your baby to take one though and if you are breastfeeding do not introduce them until breastfeeding has been fully established. Second hand smoke - Some babies who have died from SIDS have been found to have had a higher levels of second hand smoke chemicals in their bodies due to exposure. Second hand smoke has risks on many levels, so always make sure not to smoke around a child. Co-sleeping - This has been debated on many levels. Some believe that sleeping with a baby can inhibit proper ventilation and others believe that sleeping with a parent prevents some dangers from happening. Since a lot of parents like to be in the same room with their infants for feedings, they recommend that you have the baby sleep in their own bedding next to the bed instead of in the parent's bed. This way the baby is still within arms reach, but the actual sleeping conditions are safer for the baby (no pillows, blankets, etc).
There are many debates as to what actually cause SIDS and until there is an actual discovery as to it's cause, there is no way to completely prevent SIDS from happening. It does help to know that there are some things you can do as parents to help reduce this risk. The rate of SIDS has dropped 50% since 1990 so some of these methods are thought to be effective.
As parents, we want to feel like we can do anything we can to keep our babies from any harm. SIDS is a scary thing and anything we can do to help lower the risk of this occurring, is worth trying
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"Back to Sleep" - This is a campaign that you have probably heard about. Pediatrician's will recommend that you always put a baby to sleep on their backs. There is belief that placing a baby on their stomach may cause them to inhale too much Carbon Dioxide or smother themselves if they are unable to move their heads effectively when they are in danger. They also recommend that you don't put a baby to sleep on their sides either.
