How to Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

For most parents, their infant children are the most precious things in the world. Sadly, dangers abound even in the home, of which one of the most subtle and yet the most fatal is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).


As the name implies, SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of any infant less than a year old. Research has shown that most of the cases of SIDS happen to infants between 2 months to 4 months of age. Thus, parents often increase vigilance against SIDS during this time although it may or may not slack off before and after it.

Because of said vigilance and simple measures, the number of SIDS cases has significantly declined in recent years. You, too, can adopt these easy but effective measures to lessen the risk of SIDS for your infant babies.

Sleeping on the Back
Letting your baby sleep on his back is the most recent and yet the most effective safeguard against SIDS. Even if your baby is a stomach and side sleeper, you must turn him unto his back as soon as he is asleep. There appears to be two reasons for this piece of advice. First, your baby's chest seems to be crushed, thus, leading to difficulty in breathing. Second, your baby may well raise his head and suffocate on the mattress. Keep in mind that infants have very minimal muscle and breathing control at this stage.


Sleeping on a Firm Surface
You must always ensure that the surface your baby is sleeping on is relatively firm. Thus, pillows, quilts, sheepskin rugs, memory foams and other soft surfaces are out of the question when it comes to providing your baby with a good night's sleep. If your baby is sleeping on a crib, you have to make sure that it meets all the safety requirements when it comes to the mattress. There are many ways to achieve this end: Make sure that the mattress fit the crib snugly. You can perform the finger test, which means that you should only be able to slide a finger between the crib rails and the mattress, one on each side. Ensure that the thickness of the mattress is sufficient for the depth of the crib. Your crib sheet must also snugly fit all the corners of the mattress with sufficient space to completely tuck underneath it. This way, your baby will not be entangled in the sheets if ever it comes off. Opt for firmer mattresses. Keep in mind that softer mattresses pose a suffocation hazard since babies have more difficulty lifting up their heads from said mattresses.

Keeping Soft Objects Away
The things surrounding the crib also matter. You have to keep any soft object, toys and pillows as well as loose bedding away from the crib. If you must keep the baby warm, then good clothing is more appropriate than plenty of blankets. However, remember that your baby should not overheat either so light sleep clothing is necessary during warm weather. If blankets must be used, make sure that it is not higher than his chest and it is tucked into the mattress bottom. All these precautionary measures must be taught to all of the baby's caregivers to ensure that your baby is protected from SIDS virtually all the time.