SIDS Awareness: Forrest™ Wants to Help Create a safer Sleep Environment  for your baby

Mississippi continues to face one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation, and the state’s Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) rate is higher than the national average. It’s also the third-leading cause of death for the state’s infants behind prematurity and birth defects. These numbers make it especially important for Mississippi parents, families, and caregivers to understand safe sleep practices and how they can help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths.

SIDS is the unexplained death of a baby, usually less than a year old, who otherwise appears healthy. It often happens during sleep. The exact cause of SIDS is unknown, but researchers believe it may be associated with problems in the area of an infant’s brain that controls breathing and waking from sleep.

Forrest™ wants to help South Mississippi neonatologists, pediatricians, and others across the state spread the word about SIDS awareness and Safe Sleep.

So, what is SIDS, and what can families do to help keep their infants safe while they sleep?

Researchers have identified several factors that may put babies at higher risk for SIDS and other sleep-related deaths. They’ve also identified steps parents and caregivers can take to help reduce those risks. A baby’s sleeping position, what is in the crib, and where the baby sleeps can all make a difference.

That’s where Safe Sleep practices come into play.

Safe Sleep practices can help reduce a baby’s risk for SIDS and other sleep-related deaths, including accidental suffocation. One of the most important things you can do is place your baby on their back to sleep in a safe sleep area.

That means a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a firm, flat, level sleep surface and a tightly fitted sheet. Nothing else goes in the sleep space but baby. No stuffed animals. No blankets. No pillows. No bumper pads. No quilts, comforters, mattress toppers, or other soft items. NOTHING.

These items can increase the risk of suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.

And parents aren’t the only ones who need to know proper Safe Sleep practices. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, babysitters, daycare workers, and anyone else who regularly cares for your child need to know them, too. Remind them that Safe Sleep isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.

The following tips can help provide your baby with a safe place to sleep:

• Always place baby on their back to sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), babies should be placed on their backs for every sleep until they are 1 year old. Back sleeping is the safest sleep position.
• Keep baby off adult beds, couches, and armchairs. Babies should never sleep on these surfaces by themselves, with another person, or with pets. Couches and soft armchairs are particularly dangerous if an adult falls asleep while feeding or comforting an infant.
• Move baby from sitting devices when they fall asleep. Car seats, strollers, swings, and other sitting devices are not designed to be a baby’s regular sleep or nap space. Move baby to a safe sleep surface as soon as practical.
• Be consistent about back sleeping. If your baby normally sleeps on their back, placing them on their stomach or side for a nap can greatly increase their risk of SIDS.
• Know what to do when baby starts rolling. Once babies can comfortably roll from their back to their stomach and from their stomach to their back on their own, you do not have to reposition them if they roll over during sleep. Continue placing them on their back when you first put them down.
• Breastfeed, if possible. Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS. The AAP recommends exclusive human milk feeding for about the first six months, when possible, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods for at least two years and beyond as mutually desired.
• Consider offering a pacifier. Offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime may help reduce the risk of SIDS. If breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is well established before introducing one.
• Share a room, not a bed. The AAP recommends room sharing for at least the first six months. Baby should have their own sleep space, such as a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard, in your room. Room sharing also makes it easier to feed, comfort, and keep an eye on your baby.
• Keep baby from getting too hot. Baby’s head and face should remain uncovered during sleep. If you are worried about your baby getting cold, use sleep clothing or a wearable blanket instead of loose blankets. In general, dress your baby in no more than one layer more than an adult would wear to be comfortable.
• Back sleeping does not increase choking. A baby’s airway anatomy and gag reflex help protect against choking. Even babies with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) should generally sleep flat on their backs unless their healthcare provider advises otherwise.
• Keep the sleep surface flat. Any sleep surface that inclines more than 10 degrees is not considered safe for infant sleep.

There is no guaranteed way to prevent SIDS. However, following recommended Safe Sleep practices can reduce a baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths.

The message is simple: Every nap. Every night. Every time. Put baby on their back in a safe, clear sleep space.

For more information about Forrest General Hospital’s Women & Children’s Services, visit Women's & Children | Forrest | MS .