How can I prevent SIDS while sleeping?

Place your baby to sleep on his or her back, rather than on the stomach or side, every time you — or anyone else — put the baby to sleep for the first year of life. This isn't necessary when your baby's awake or able to roll over both ways without help.


What is the number 1 cause of SIDS?

While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.

What are 3 things that can cause SIDS?

Babies are at higher risk for SIDS if they:
  • Sleep on their stomachs.
  • Sleep on soft surfaces, such as an adult mattress, couch, or chair or under soft coverings.
  • Sleep on or under soft or loose bedding.
  • Get too hot during sleep.


What are 5 possible causes of SIDS?

Who Is at Risk for SIDS?
  • their mother smoked, drank, or used drugs during pregnancy and after birth.
  • their mother had poor prenatal care.
  • they were born prematurely or at a low birth weight.
  • there's a family history of SIDS.
  • their mothers were younger than 20 when they gave birth.
  • they are around tobacco smoke after birth.


Can you prevent SIDS from happening?

SIDS usually occurs when a baby is asleep, although it can occasionally happen while they're awake. Parents can reduce the risk of SIDS by not smoking while pregnant or after the baby is born, and always placing the baby on their back when they sleep.


Safe Sleep for Your Baby: Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)



Are there warning signs of SIDS?

SIDS has no symptoms or warning signs. Babies who die of SIDS seem healthy before being put to bed. They show no signs of struggle and are often found in the same position as when they were placed in the bed.

When is SIDS risk highest?

The peak incidence of SIDS occurs between 1 – 4 months of age; 90% of cases occur before 6 months of age. Babies continue to be at risk for SIDS up to 12 months.

Why do pacifiers reduce SIDS?

It may be because babies don't sleep as deeply when they have a pacifier, which helps wake them up if they're having trouble breathing. A pacifier also keeps the tongue forward in the mouth, so it can't block the airway.


Why does room sharing prevent SIDS?

Goodstein said, when babies sleep in the same room as their parents, the background sounds or stirrings prevent very deep sleep and that helps keeps the babies safe. Room sharing also makes breast-feeding easier, which is protective against SIDS.

Why does SIDS happen at night?

Deaths could occur more commonly at night in older infants because sleep is increasingly concentrated into the night. Prone sleep position could work through a thermal mechanism, so that the variables related to bedding and environmental temperature would be more important at night.

Why is SIDS risk highest at 3 months?

SIDS is most common at 2-4 months of age when the cardiorespiratory system of all infants is in rapid transition and therefore unstable. So, all infants in this age range are at risk for dysfunction of neurological control of breathing.


What are 7 things that put your baby at risk of SIDS?

Other potential risk factors for SIDS include:
  • Respiratory illness or infection. If your baby has been sick with a cold or has a respiratory illness, breathing during sleep can be more difficult.
  • Low birth weight. ...
  • Secondhand smoke inhalation. ...
  • Maternal risks during pregnancy.


What puts babies at a greater risk of SIDS?

Types of SIDS risk factors

For example, babies who are born preterm (premature) or with a low birth weight (under 5 lbs. 8 oz.) are 2 to 3 times more likely to die of SIDS or other sleep-related deaths. We also know that your baby is at higher risk if you smoked or drank alcohol during pregnancy.

Is SIDS just suffocation?

Other things that SIDS is not: SIDS is not the same as suffocation and is not caused by suffocation. SIDS is not caused by vaccines, immunizations, or shots. SIDS is not contagious.


Does white noise reduce SIDS?

White noise reduces the risk of SIDS.

A relatively famous study (famous if you read a lot about baby sleep, so honestly you should be a little proud if you haven't heard of it) showed that babies had a significant reduction in the risk of SIDS if they had a fan in their room.

Does room temperature affect SIDS?

It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.

Does sleeping with baby reduce SIDS?

The AAP recommends room sharing because it can decrease the risk of SIDS by as much as 50% and it's much safer than bed sharing. Room sharing will also make it easier for you to feed, comfort and watch your baby.


What temperature should babies sleep in?

What Is the Ideal Temperature for a Sleeping Baby? Some studies have found that a room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov may be comfortable for babies. Other recommendations range between 61 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit .

How long can SIDS happen?

SIDS and Age: When Is My Baby No Longer at Risk? SIDS can occur anytime during a baby's first year of life (it's extremely rare after 1 year of age). Although the causes of SIDS are still largely unknown, doctors do know that the risk of SIDS appears to peak between 2 and 4 months of age and decreases after 6 months.

How do you get rid of SIDS?

There's no treatment for sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS . But there are ways to help your baby sleep safely. For the first year, always place your baby on his or her back to sleep. Use a firm mattress and avoid fluffy pads and blankets.


What doubles the risk of SIDS?

Babies who share a bed with other children or adults. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy (three times more likely to have a baby die of SIDS) Exposure to passive smoke from smoking by mothers, fathers, and others in the household (doubles a baby's risk of SIDS)

Why is SIDS more common in winter?

Infants are sensitive to extremes in temperature and cannot regulate their body temperatures well. Studies have shown that multiple layers or heavy clothing, heavy blankets, and warm room temperatures increase SIDS risk.

What happens before SIDS?

SIDS has no symptoms or warning signs. Babies don't seem to suffer or struggle. They don't cry. Minor breathing or stomach problems might occur in the weeks before SIDS occurs.


Can you catch SIDS happening?

Even though the thought can be deeply unsettling, experts agree that there aren't any warning signs for SIDS. And since SIDS isn't diagnosed until after an infant has died and the death has been investigated, you can't catch SIDS while it's happening and stop it, for instance, by performing CPR.

What should parents not do to reduce SIDS?

Do not let your baby's head become covered. Babies whose heads are covered with bedding are at an increased risk of SIDS. To prevent your baby wriggling down under the covers, place them in the "feet to foot" position. This means their feet are at the end of the crib, cot or moses basket.