Everything you need to know about SIDS.

 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome best known as SIDS, is a frightening fear for most mothers. SIDS is often referred to as crib death, and is the sudden death of an infant who stops breathing. It is rare, affecting less than 2 in 1000 infants in the US, but the fear of it plagues all new mothers. In this post I am going to give you important tips to prevent SIDS during pregnancy and after the baby is born.

Who is at higher risk of SIDS?

SIDS was once thought of as random, striking healthy babies, which made it all the more frightening. But, in reality, there are some things that can indicate that a baby is at a higher risk for SIDS.

• The first is any baby that has previously had an episode where he has turned blue or had to have breathing revived.
• Premature or low birth weight babies are more susceptible to SIDS.
• Mothers who have had poor prenatal care, smoked or use drugs during pregnancy are more likely to have a child with SIDS.
• Babies who has been diagnosed with heart, brain or lung conditions are also at risk.
• Boys are more susceptible than girls to suffer from SIDS..

How SIDS can be prevented?

During pregnancy:

• Start with the prenatal check ups early.
• Follow all the recommendations from your doctor, mainly if you have pre-existing conditions.
• Avoid smoking or second hand smoke.
• Avoid ALL recreational drugs.
• Stick to a healthy lifestyle that will allow you to maintain a healthy weight.

After childbirth:

• Put your newborn to sleep on his back, or his side. There does seem to be a connection between SIDS and babies who sleep on their stomachs, particularly if they sleep on a soft mattress.
• Don’t put unnecessary items, even blankets in the crib with the baby.
• Don’t let your baby get overheated.
• Avoid sharing a bed. While the risk of SIDS is lowered if an infant sleeps in the same room as the parents, the risk increases if the baby sleeps in the same bed with parents, siblings or pets.
• Learn infant CPR so you are prepared in the event you need to resuscitate your child.
• Breast-feed your baby, if possible. Breast-feeding for at least six months has proven to lowers the risk of SIDS.
• Don’t allow smoking around the baby. Second hand smoke can also harm your baby.
• Offer a pacifier. Sucking on a pacifier without a strap or string at naptime and bedtime might reduce the risk of SIDS. If your baby’s not interested in the pacifier, don’t force it. Try again another day. If the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth while he or she is sleeping, don’t pop it back in.
• Keep up with your baby immunizations, Some evidence indicates immunizations can help prevent SIDS as it prevents diseases.

Share the post!

What to do if my baby has a SIDS episode?

• If your child has an episode stops breathing or turns blue, notify your doctor immediately, even though you were able to revive your baby.
• Your doctor will want to run tests, and, if he fears that the baby is likely to have another episode (though 95% do not) he might suggest a monitor for the baby. These monitors will alert you in the event the baby stops breathing, but are only used in high risk situations. The monitors are quite cumbersome, and tend to have lots of false alarms, making moms even crazier, so be careful if you choose to use a monitor.

When Can I Stop Worrying about SIDS?

The threat of SIDS is over once your child reaches his first birthday, and declines dramatically once he is six months old. In fact, most SIDS deaths happen between the ages of two and four months. Take some precautions, but unless your baby has an elevated risk, remember that SIDS is actually rare, and is not something to obsess over.

Related posts you might love to read.

Tips to help your colicky baby to get relief.

What to consider before choosing the perfect pediatrician for your baby.

How to boost your baby’s brain growth and development.

Final words about SIDS.

The good news is that, SIDS or sudden infant death rate is at an all-time low. However there are still about 4,000 sleep-related infant deaths that occur each year in the US. Luckily research shows that there are several ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death. I hope these tips help you to keep your baby safe.

If you like this post, please share, like and subscribe to our Newsletter. Thanks for reading.

Zadi, xo.