YOU ARE HERE: Central Kentucky Home→Collections

Babies sleep safest on their backs

Health Thyself

October 02, 2006

SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death in babies after one month of age. SIDS occurs when babies under one year of age have died suddenly and unexplained in their sleep. The first six months of the infants' life is when the risk of SIDS is the highest.

SIDS is often referred to as "crib death" because this is where many SIDS babies are found, but SIDS is not caused by cribs. The following have been consistently identified as risk factor for SIDS: lying on stomach sleep position, sleeping on soft surface, smoking during pregnancy, overheating, late or no prenatal care, young maternal age, preterm birth and/or low birth weight and male gender.

The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recognizes side sleeping as a reasonable alternative to sleeping on the back. Studies have found that the side sleep position is unstable and increases the chances of an infant rolling onto his or her stomach. Every caregiver should use the back sleep position during every sleep period.

Many parents worry that babies sleeping on their backs will choke if they spit up or vomit while sleeping. Because babies automatically swallow or cough up such fluid, doctors have found no increase in choking or other problems in babies sleeping on their backs.

There is no known cause for SIDS, but there are many things that parents can do to help lower the risk of SIDS for their baby.

â?¢ Put your baby on their back to sleep

â?¢ Place your baby on a firm mattress, such as in a safety approved crib

â?¢ Remove all fluffy items from the crib including blanket, stuffed animals

â?¢ Make sure the baby's head and face are uncovered during sleep

â?¢ Make your home a smoke-free environment and do not smoke while pregnant

â?¢ Keep the temperature of your home comfortable, not too warm

â?¢ A separate, but close sleeping environment is recommended such as a separate crib in the parent's room.

â?¢ Bed sharing during sleep is not recommended.

â?¢ Consider offering a pacifier

â?¢ Avoid having the infant spend excessive time in car-seat carriers and bouncers

â?¢ Assure that others caring for the infant (child care provider, relative, friend, baby sitter) are aware of the recommendation

â?¢ Keep well-child and shot appointments

You can place baby on his or her stomach for "tummy time" when he or she is awake. When the baby is awake, tummy time is great because it helps to make your baby's neck and shoulder muscles stronger which helps them begin to learn to sit-up and crawl. However, always remember BACK to SLEEP.

The information for this article was taken from the American Academy for Pediatrics, Childbirth Graphics, and the Back to Sleep Campaign. For more information on SIDS, or other information on infants and small children, please contact the HANDS program with Clark County Health Department at 859-744-4482.

|

|

|