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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the term used to describe the sudden death of a baby younger than one year of age that doesn’t have a known cause. October marks the start of SIDS Awareness Month, where the importance of safe sleep is talked about and encouraged throughout the community. The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for infant safe sleep are as easy as ABC- Alone, Back, and Crib.
A is for Alone
- Babies should always sleep alone. Don’t sleep in the same bed as your baby.
- The safest place for baby to sleep is in the same room as you, especially during the first six months.
- You can place the crib next to the bed.
- The room should be cool and smoke-free.
- Keep the safe space free of things: pillows, blankets, toys, etc.
B is for Back
- Make sure to place baby on their back and not on their tummy during sleep.
- Place your baby in different directions daily to avoid flat spots on their heads.
C is for Crib
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Use a crib or bassinet that meets current regulations found here. The mattress should be nice and firm, without loose bedding, bumpers, or positioning devices.
Since babies spend the night sleeping on their backs, it’s also important that they have supervised tummy time during the day when they are awake. This activity helps babies develop their back, neck, and trunk muscles and should be done a little throughout the day! If your baby doesn’t seem to enjoy tummy time, try to do different things like:
- Singing songs.
- Playing with colorful toys.
- Getting on the floor and being eye-to-eye with your baby.
Babies sometimes need a little extra time to get used to tummy time.
For more tummy time tips go to https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tummy-time.html.
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