Sudden Infant Death Syndrom (SIDS) is the sudden death during sleep of an apparently healthy child, under the age of one. A diagnosis of SIDS can only be applied after adequate post mortem investigations reveal no other causes. SIDS could be said to be a sudden death during sleep for no apparent reason.
It is impossible to predict if a child will succumb to SIDS. Medical research has failed to pinpoint a single exact cause but it has indicated various "risk factors" Knowing where the risk are can help you to eliminate them and thereby reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 75%. Use these guidelines to help provide a safe sleep environment for your baby.
*Put your baby to sleep on his back. The back to sleep campaign is thought to have reduced Sudden Infant deaths by between 50 - 75%. This is fairly new advice. Older mums (like me!) were probably told to put babies to sleep on their stomachs. However, medical opinion is unanimous. Putting baby to sleep on his/her back is the single most important thing you can do to prevent SIDS.
*Use a firm Mattress with a fitted sheet. Do not put baby to sleep (even for a nap) on soft surfaces such as water beds, sofa cushions, sheepskins or sleeping bags.
*Remove all soft things from the crib/sleep area Take away fluffy blanket, pillows, soft toys, duvets etc
*Keep baby's face uncovered. Make sure that baby's face stays uncovered and that blankets cannot shuffle up during the night. It is better to use sleep clothing rather than blankets. If you do use blanket make sure that you place baby at the foot of the crib (with his feet to the bottom) and the blanket firmly tucked under the mattress and no higher than baby's chest.
Do not smoke Do not smoke during pregnancy and do not allow others to smoke round your baby.
*Sleep near to your baby. It is suggested that you should keep baby in the parent's bedroom until 6 months old. It is NOT intended that you share a bed with your infant. It is hard to follow the SIDS prevention rules in an adult bed. The mattress is usually too soft and the pillows and fluffy bedding provide addition risks.
*If you use a pacifier for sleep or nap times do not reinsert it once baby is asleep
*Do not allow your baby to overheat The room should be at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult. Do not use too many clothes or blankets.
*Make sure everyone knows these prevention tips. Some of this advise is new (especially back to sleep) and older carers may not know. It is important that everyone who looks after you baby is aware of the steps to keep your baby safe.
If you are a first time parent or a new parent, one of the most perplexing question in your mind is the sleeping position of your baby or infant to ensure his safety of smoothering or suffocating by a pillow. Should you place your baby down to sleep on his side or on his back? What should you actually do to ensure his absolute safety during sleep and avoid the dreaded Sudden Infant Death syndrome?
Here are 5 important tips given by babycare experts that you can follow:
1. Sleeping position of the baby should always be on his back. This allows for a clear nasal passage. Placing a baby on his back to sleep means you should not be placing an infant to sleep on his side.
2. Get an appropriate baby crib, and equip it with a crib mattress that is firm, tight-fitting and without a bed sheet that can be loosen or moved by baby's movement. A firm matress provide good back support and also prevent any excessive folds of the bedsheet that will lead to smoothering of baby's breathing.
3. Do not place toys, covers and even blankets in baby's crib. Instead, if you need to provide the baby with some play toy, hang it on the crib where he can see it and be attracted to the toy by its movement or bright colors. Covers and blankets are not necessary during the infant's first year of life it the baby is dressed for appropriate warmth with suitable baby clothes. Too thick a clothing or unsuitable wear will lead to baby rashes and would irritate the baby and lead to undue crying.
4. Should you give your baby a pacifier or teats at night and during nap time during his first year? There is new literature and support that indicates this is the recommended route for new parents to take, Providing the infant a pacifier acts as a sort of security contact, albeit psuedo contact akin to that of the baby with the mother, and allows for some sense of emotional and physical contact and helps the baby to feel more at ease and to sleep easier.
5. If the baby is crying non stop or excessively, check to see that his diapers are not wet, or that he is not irritated physically by some discomfort such as a rash, or bitten by any insect or that he is not having a temperature or a fever. The baby sole method of communicating his discomfort or sickness is by crying. Many times, it is his way to saying he is hungry and some milk will ease his crying.
By following these 5 tips, you will be able to help your baby get his best sleep and also avoid the occurrence of the Sudden Infant Death syndrome arising from sleeping accidents.
Both Debbie Walker & Angie Kim are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Debbie Walker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Babies, Sleep Disorder and Kids and Teens. Lack of sleep is the one of the hardest aspect of new parenthood. Getting baby off to sleep can be a major headache. The primary goal is to get baby off to sleep quickly - and to sleep safely through the night. Debbie Walker runs. Debbie Walker's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.
Angie Kim has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cars, Family and Used Car. Looking for baby care resources and accessories to ensure the complete safety, and healthy development of an intelligent baby? Angie Kim has more free resources and information on baby care products at. Angie Kim's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.