October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month and we want parents and caregivers to be aware of actions they can take to reduce their infant’s risk of death by SIDS or Sudden Unintentional Infant Death (SUID). SUID is an umbrella term that includes SIDS, but also includes deaths due to injury or accident.
Parents can reduce risk of SUID by doing the following:
· Place infants on their back.
· Use a firm sleep surface for infants that is flat and only covered by a fitted sheet.
· Share a room with your baby for the first 6 months. Make sure baby has their own sleep space like a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard separate from your bed.
· Keep all items out of the sleep space, such as toys, stuffed animals, or other soft objects.
· Offer a baby a pacifier for naps and at night once they are feeding well.
· Stay smoke and vape-free during pregnancy and keep baby’s surroundings smoke and vape-free.
· Stay drug and alcohol-free during pregnancy, and make sure anyone caring for baby is drug and alcohol-free.
· Avoid letting baby get too hot.
· Give baby “tummy time” when they are awake, and someone is watching them.
Currently, there is no known way to prevent SIDS, however, these tips reduce the risk. If you have questions, visit the Safe to Sleep Campaign or talk to your pediatrician.
Information obtained from the Safe to Sleep Campaign.
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