Safe Sleeping for Babies - What you can do to prevent SIDS
When infants die suddenly, unexpectedly, and without clear medical reason in their sleep, it’s called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Health care providers and researchers don’t know the exact causes of SIDS. However, research shows parents and caregivers can take several steps to help reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these are the key steps to helping prevent SIDS:
- Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—naps and at night.
- Use a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet.
- Keep your baby’s sleep area (for example, a crib or bassinet) in the same room where you sleep until your baby is at least 6 months old, or ideally, until your baby is one year old.
- Keep soft bedding such as blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys out of your baby’s sleep area.
- Do not cover your baby’s head or allow your baby to get too hot. Signs your baby may be getting too hot include sweating or his or her chest feels hot.
July’s WELCOA Health Bulletin highlights facts surrounding sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), SIDS risk factors, and how to protect your baby from SIDS.
To access the WELCOA Health Bulletin – “Safe Sleeping for Babies” as well as other health and safety topics such as “Blotchy Skin, Protect the Skin You’re In, and Caring for Your Kidneys”, visit https://hr.uconn.edu/worklife/ and click "WELCOA Health Bulletins" under QUICK LINKS.
To access the July Well Balanced Monthly Newsletter, please visit https://hr.uconn.edu/well-balanced/
Be sure to check back each month for more helpful and informative bulletins.
For more information, contact: Michelle Monko/Human Resources at michelle.monko@uconn.edu