SIDS Prevention
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
A
Alone
Babies should always sleep alone
B
Back
Babies should be on their back
C
Cribs
Cribs and basenetts are the best
How to Prevent SIDS
Although there’s no way to prevent SIDS entirely, you can considerably lower your baby’s risk reduce the risk by doing the following.
- Buy the right bedding. Use a firm mattress and tightly fitted sheets for baby’s crib.
- Avoid potential bedding hazards. That means no comforts, fluffy blankets, pillow or toys in baby’s sleeping environment.
- Skip the crib bumper pad. It can restrict your baby’s breathing if she presses her nose or mouth against it. Also pass on those wedges designed to keep an infant on her back or side, since their safety and effectiveness have not been proven.
- Keep your baby from overheating. No hats, extra clothes or woolly blankets while sleeping. And keep baby’s room at a comfortable temperature for an adult, between 68 to 72 degrees.
- Keep your baby’s room well-ventilated. Using a fan in an infant’s room-especially if it’s poorly ventilated-has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Offer a pacifier. When baby is going to sleep, give her pacifier.
- Snuff out smoke. Never allow anyone to smoke neat your baby.
- Breastfeed. If you’re able, research has breastfeeding may lower baby’s risk SIDS.
- Share a room with a baby. Studies show babies have a lower risk of SIDS if they sleep in the same room as their parents.
- Be sure baby is up-to-date with vaccinations. Some evidence suggests it could reduce SIDS risk by up to 50 percent.
