Nothing seems worse than having your infant pass away while she sleeps or takes a nap. Each year in the U.S. alone, 2,500 deaths are attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Whether you like to think about it or not, preventing this awful occurrence from happening is one of the most important jobs you'll have as a parent or guardian.
No one knows which infants are more at risk for SIDS because no one knows medically what causes some babies to be affected while others are not. However, most experts agree that letting your baby sleep on her stomach is not a good idea. The best thing is to let your infant sleep on her back which allows for better breathing and air flow. In 1983, the SIDS Institute started the Back to Sleep campaign and since then infant deaths associated with the syndrome dropped significantly by 50%. Here's a few more things you can do
1. Do not put anything else inside the crib besides your baby. This includes any soft items that could possible suffocate the infant or block air flow including stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, and devices used to position the baby. Make sure to use only fitted sheets with a firm mattress and not the kind that needs to be tucked because they can become loose as your baby moves around in the crib.
2. Do not let your infant sleep in an adult bed. While the infant should sleep in the parents' room until 6 months of age, the infant should sleep in a separate crib. Adult beds are too soft and are not safe for infants. Your baby should also not sleep on a waterbed, air mattress, bean bag, pillow, couch, quilt, or soft mattress. A firm mattress is best.
3. Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke. The risk of SIDS increases along with the babies exposure to smoke. Don't allow friends or family members to smoke around your baby and avoid taking your baby to public places where other people might be smoking.
4. Resist the urge to put lots of layers on your baby before bedtime. A higher than normal body temperature can put your infant at higher risk for SIDS. The baby's room should be kept at a comfortable 70 degrees. If your infant feels hot to the touch or is sweating he may be too warm.
5. Purchase a new crib for your infant. Avoid using a hand-me-down crib or purchasing a used crib from a garage sale. You don't know if that used crib was recently involved in a safety recall. There are plenty of safe cribs available you can purchase new that are relatively inexpensive.
No one knows which infants are more at risk for SIDS because no one knows medically what causes some babies to be affected while others are not. However, most experts agree that letting your baby sleep on her stomach is not a good idea. The best thing is to let your infant sleep on her back which allows for better breathing and air flow. In 1983, the SIDS Institute started the Back to Sleep campaign and since then infant deaths associated with the syndrome dropped significantly by 50%. Here's a few more things you can do
1. Do not put anything else inside the crib besides your baby. This includes any soft items that could possible suffocate the infant or block air flow including stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, and devices used to position the baby. Make sure to use only fitted sheets with a firm mattress and not the kind that needs to be tucked because they can become loose as your baby moves around in the crib.
2. Do not let your infant sleep in an adult bed. While the infant should sleep in the parents' room until 6 months of age, the infant should sleep in a separate crib. Adult beds are too soft and are not safe for infants. Your baby should also not sleep on a waterbed, air mattress, bean bag, pillow, couch, quilt, or soft mattress. A firm mattress is best.
3. Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke. The risk of SIDS increases along with the babies exposure to smoke. Don't allow friends or family members to smoke around your baby and avoid taking your baby to public places where other people might be smoking.
4. Resist the urge to put lots of layers on your baby before bedtime. A higher than normal body temperature can put your infant at higher risk for SIDS. The baby's room should be kept at a comfortable 70 degrees. If your infant feels hot to the touch or is sweating he may be too warm.
5. Purchase a new crib for your infant. Avoid using a hand-me-down crib or purchasing a used crib from a garage sale. You don't know if that used crib was recently involved in a safety recall. There are plenty of safe cribs available you can purchase new that are relatively inexpensive.
About the Author:
Virginia likes to write about baby cribs furniture and helps parents find the best baby cribs online.
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