Perhaps the most devastating event that could happen to a parent is the death of a child. It is even more tragic when it is unpreventable and unpredictable. Unfortunately this happens to approximately 2,000 babies every year due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The good news is that since the launch of the national “Back To Sleep Campaign” in 1994, the rate of SIDS has declined by 50%.

At this time there is no known way to prevent SIDS, but there are steps parents and caregivers can take to reduce the risk of sudden infant death:

• Place your baby to sleep on his or her back at nap and nighttime
• Do not smoke while you are pregnant and don’t let anyone smoke around your baby after he or she is born
• Use a safety-approved crib with a firm, tight fitting mattress covered with only a sheet
• Remove all soft, fluffy or loose bedding & toys (including blankets, soft or fluffy bumpers and positioners)
• Use a sleep sack (also called a wearable blanket) to replace loose blankets in your baby’s crib
• Do not put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (sofas, chairs, waterbeds, quilts, blankets, sheepskins, etc.)
• Room sharing is safer than bed sharing
• Do not dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature 68 - 72 o F
• Educate relatives, baby-sitters and other caregivers about these important safety tips