Safe Sleep Strategies for SIDS Prevention – October marks the beginning of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s (NICHD) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than the one year old and frequently the leading cause of death among infants 1-12 months old.
OAKLAND COUNTY MOMS HEALTH / FAMILY HEALTH ARTICLES
Because we continue to learn more about the causes and effective preventive strategies of SIDS, the NICHD launched Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month to keep communities informed about SIDS. NICHD also created the Back to Sleep Campaign to provide information on safe sleep strategies which has resulted in a decline in SIDS in recent years.
Safe Sleep Strategies for SIDS Prevention include
- Use a firm mattress with a fitted sheet in your baby’s sleep area.
- Do not place your baby on pillows, quilts, or other soft surfaces.
- Make sure nothing covers your baby’s head.
- Place healthy babies on their backs to sleep.
- Keep pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and bumpers away from baby’s sleep area.
- Don’t allow smoking around or near your baby.
- Avoid letting your baby overheat by dressing your child in light sleep clothing and keeping the room temperature comfortable.
- Place your baby on his or her stomach when awake and with someone watching to help your baby strengthen his or her neck and shoulders.
- Keep your baby in his or her own sleep area, but close to you.
- Avoid letting your baby sleep with any adults or children.
In addition to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s (NICHD) info found on this page, I would recommend you check out this comprehensive guide our friends at momlovesbest.com put together for to help educate new moms on SIDS prevention. It’s a tremendous resource.
For information about SIDS Awareness Month, SIDS prevention, the Back to Sleep Campaign, and outreach strategies for your community, visit the Back to Sleep website.
