How to Prevent SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, is the leading cause of death among children between the ages of 1 month and 1 year, according to KidsHealth. What is equally as scary is that there is no definitive cause of SIDS, and 2,500 babies die of SIDS in the United States each year. If you're worried about SIDS, make an appointment with your baby's pediatrician, but meanwhile keep a few things in mind and you could greatly reduce your little one's risk.

Instructions

    • 1

      Put your baby to sleep on her back. This is one of the best ways to keep your baby safe and reduce the risk of of SIDS. Always put your baby in her bassinet or crib on her back, and make sure that anyone who cares for your little one knows this rule, too. Because one of the theories about the cause of SIDS is lack of oxygen, this can keep your baby, especially a newborn who doesn't have head control yet, breathing normally.

    • 2

      Place your baby on a firm surface, such as a crib mattress, to sleep. Sleeping on soft surfaces, such as on an adult bed or on the couch, increases the risk of SIDS. HealthyChildren.org recommends checking to be sure your child's crib, bassinet or play yard meets current safety guidelines and to never use a sleep item that has been recalled, including cribs with drop-down rails.

    • 3

      Keep your baby's sleep area separate from your own. If you want your baby close by, put a bassinet or crib in your bedroom. Co-sleeping raises the risk of SIDS, according to HealthyChildren.org, and putting your baby in her own sleeping area can reduce that risk.

    • 4

      Keep soft items out of your baby's sleeping area. This includes crib bumpers, thick blankets, quilts, stuffed animals and pillows, KidsHealth notes.

    • 5

      Give your baby a pacifier. According to a 2011 article published in "Pediatrics," babies who use a pacifier are at a reduced risk for SIDS. The theory is that when a baby is sucking on a pacifier her airways are wide open to let in more oxygen, and the sucking prevents her from falling into a deep sleep, according to the PubMed Health website.

    • 6

      Breastfeed your baby -- and do so even beyond the first few months. Although the exact reason is not yet clear, breastfeeding can reduce your baby's risk of SIDS, according to the HealthyChildren.org website.

    • 7

      Keep your baby's sleep area at a cool temperature. Babies who get too hot while they sleep are at an increased risk of SIDS, according to HealthyChildren.org. A good temperature is one that allows an adult to be comfortable in a short-sleeved shirt, KidsHealth notes.

    • 8

      Stop smoking and don't let anyone smoke around your baby. According to KidsHealth, exposure to secondhand smokes doubles a baby's risk of SIDS.

    • 9

      Skip breathing monitors and products that claim to reduce your baby's risk of SIDS. HealthyChildren.org notes that these don't reduce the risk of SIDS, and in the case of wedges, positioners and special mattresses, can actually increase your baby's risk of SIDS.

    • 10

      Keep all of your child's well baby appointments. At these appointments, your baby will receive her immunizations, which can have a protective effect against SIDS, according to HealthyChildren.org.

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