SIDS: 8 Things You Should Know About Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

(Here’s a guest blog post by my friend Ives Lim-Esteban about SIDS which is the leading cause of death among infants 1 month to 1 year old. October is the SIDS awareness month, please share to all the mothers out there. — Anton Diaz, Founder, Our Awesome Planet)

SIDS: 8 Things You Should Know About Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Babies can spend up to 16 hours sleeping.  As such, it is important to make sure your baby’s sleeping environment is a safe one.  In addition, experts agree that healthy sleep is a prerequisite for a child’s physical and mental development.  Providing a healthy and safe sleeping environment is therefore the single most important thing you can do to ensure your child gets a good start in life. 

About SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected death of an infant, which cannot be explained after an autopsy, death scene and clinical history investigation.  It is closely related to other accidents during sleep, like suffocation or strangulation due to soft objects, loose bedding, and the like. 

While the actual causes of SIDS are still unknown, researchers have found a high correlation between an infant’s sleeping environment and the risks of SIDS.  Here are 8 things you should remember to keep your baby safe while sleeping:

1. Back is best.

Always place your baby to sleep on his back, regardless if it’s naptime or bedtime.

 

2. Create a safe sleeping area.

Use a crib that meets current safety standards.  The crib should have a firm mattress and a tight-fitting sheet, with nothing else inside except your baby.  

 

3. Remove all loose bedding.

 

 

 

Remove all loose blankets, comforters, soft toys, and crib bumpers.  These items can block the flow of fresh air to your baby and cause carbon dioxide re-breathing, which is a leading risk factor for SIDS.

4. Use a safety-approved wearable blanket or SleepSack.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the use of wearable blankets because they eliminate the risk of babies accidentally suffocating or strangulating with loose blankets.  It is important that you choose a brand that is trusted by the medical community, especially since this is a “safety” product.

 

5. Happy babies sleep alone.

Co-sleep in the same room, not on the same bed. Experts do not recommend sharing the same sleep surface with your baby in order to avoid accidental suffocation from overlay, adult beddings, etc…

 

6. Breastfeed, when possible.

Apart from its other known benefits, breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.

 

7. Do not let your baby overheat.

Keep room temperature between 20-22 C⁰.  Check that the fabric you use is breathable to prevent overheating.  In warm climates like ours, often putting on a wearable blanket over light clothing is enough to keep babies cozy warm and sleeping soundly through the night.  

 

8.  No Smoking around your baby. 

Don’t smoke while pregnant, and never allow anyone to smoke near your baby.

 

Please share these important safe sleep tips to everyone who cares for your baby, or anyone who has a baby!  Education is key to keeping our babies safe! 

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Ives Lim-Esteban is a safe sleep advocate.  She is the mompreneur who brought in the award-winning Halo SleepSack – the No. 1 wearable blanket in the market today.  Halo is the only brand trusted and used by over 1,200 US hospitals and NICUs, and is consistently voted by parenting authorities as the No.1 baby must-have.  With sizes for newborns up to 5 years old, Halo makes a unique and functional gift for baby showers, baptisms, birthdays, and holidays.  You can never go wrong with giving the gift of safe sleep!  

P.S. Get 15% discount by typing “OAP” under “instructions” when you purchase at www.halophilippines.com.

Please like www.facebook.com/halophilippines to help spread the word about safe sleep!