8 Ways to Reduce Death by SIDs

Approximately 3,500 babies lose their lives to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) each year. It is all the more frightening because we don't completely understand what exactly is causing these infants to die. 

What has been identified, however, are risk factors. There is a correlation between the following situations and death by SIDS. Here are several things that you can do to decrease the risk of SIDS. Share them with everyone you know!

1. Place baby to sleep on his or her back, rather than the side or stomach, for the first year. Babies shouldn't be on their stomachs because it restricts their airway, and they shouldn't be on their sides because of how easily it can allow them to roll onto their stomachs.
2. Always use firm bedding, such as a mattress in a crib or bassinet, with a fitted sheet and without loose blankets or stuffed animals.
3. Keep your baby near you until 6 months of age, but avoid bed sharing. Bed sharing can result in unintended suffocation, but keeping baby in the same room can allow you to more easily monitor your baby's sleep.
4. Don't smoke. Smokers are three times more likely to lose their baby to SIDS. 
5. Keep the baby from overheating; remembering that a baby may have more layers on than you. Here's a helpful visual for dressing the baby for sleep.
6. A fan can help the room stay cool, and helps further reduce SIDS risk because it helps disperse carbon dioxide for babies with inadequate sleep arousal responses. 
7. Fully immunize your baby. Babies who have been fully immunized have a 50% decreased risk of dying from SIDS.
8. Breastfeed if possible. While scientists aren't sure why, breastfeeding has been shown to decrease SIDS risk.
9. Use a pacifier; this also has shown a correlation to a reduced SIDS risk.

Interested in reading more? Check out the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Site.
 

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