SIDS Information
Every new parent knows the fear that hangs out in the back of the mind at the end of the day, when putting baby to bed. We have heard about SIDS, we may even know someone who has lost a baby to SIDS, and we feel incapable in the battle to fight SIDS. But do you know everything you need to know to protect your baby? Here are some basic facts about SIDS that you can find on most SIDS organization sites:
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SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME is the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant under one year of age that remains unexplained after the performance of a complete postmortem investigation, including an autopsy, an examination of the scene of death and a review of the medical history
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As a result of the national Back To Sleep Campaign, launched in 1994, SIDS rates have declined by more than 50%
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SIDS is the leading cause of death for infants one month to one year of age, continuing to claim the lives of approximately 2,000 babies each year
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African American and Native American babies are 2-3 times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian babies
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Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between 2 and 4 months old; 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age
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Most babies that die of SIDS appear to be healthy prior to death
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More SIDS deaths occur in the winter and fall months
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60% of SIDS victims are male; 40% are female
What may concern you is that the whole story is missing from these statistics. What you might want to know is that SIDS has been seemingly stamped out by families who practice mattress wrapping specifically as a SIDS prevention measure. A practice proven successful for over 12 years, mattress wrapping is the answer to what some scientists say is the cause of SIDS: toxic nerve gases.
Preventing SIDS
The only SIDS prevention technique that has been proven (over time) 100% successful is wrapping your baby's mattress in a BabeSafe mattress cover and avoiding the following bedding items:
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Sheepskin or sheep fleece underlay
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Moisture-resistant cot mattress protector
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Any underblanket which is not made of pure cotton
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Acrylic blanket
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Any blanket which contains polyester
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Any bedding that is quilted, padded, or filled
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Sleeping bag
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Duvet
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Pillows or cushions
In addition to the above, it is also important to note that sleeping with a baby on a sofa or other furniture containing flame retardants should be avoided. Baby should not sleep in an adult bed, as adult mattresses are as dangerous for baby as his unwrapped bassinet, co-sleeper, or crib mattress.
Publications:
Cot Death—Cause and Prevention Experiences in New Zealand 1995–2004