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THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
To keep your baby safe while sleeping, experts recommend practicing the “ABCs” of sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n Babies<\/a> should sleep<\/a> alone<\/b>, on their back<\/b> and in a crib<\/b>. That’s the best way to prevent sudden infant death syndrome<\/a> (SIDS<\/a>).<\/p>\n SIDS<\/a> is the unexplained death of a child under 1 year of age that usually occurs during sleep<\/a>. The United States has about 3,500 sleep<\/a>-related deaths a year among babies<\/a>, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Some causes of SIDS include overheating<\/a>, strangulation and suffocation. Sharing a bed with someone, even a mother or twin, can increase the risk of these problems,” said Dr. Eustratia Hubbard, medical director of newborn<\/a> services at University of California, San Diego Health.<\/p>\n “Placing babies on their sides or stomachs also increases the chances of SIDS,” Hubbard explained in a university news release. “Parents and caregivers sometimes worry that if a baby spits up while laying on her back during sleep, she will aspirate. But babies have reflexes to protect their airway<\/a>, including gagging, coughing<\/a> and turning their heads to the side, so on the back is always best.”<\/p>\n Besides the ABCs of sleep, other safety measures for your baby include using a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib with only a fitted sheet — no loose or rolled blankets, pillows, positioners, bumper pads or soft toys.<\/p>\n In addition, keep your baby in a room with you (but in a separate bed) until he or she is at least 6 months old, breastfeed your baby, and do not smoke or allow smoking<\/a> around your baby.<\/p>\n — Robert Preidt<\/p>\n ![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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