Checklist: How to Help Protect Your Baby from SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the number one cause of infant death in the United States. Ninety percent of SIDS deaths occur in babies who are younger than 6 months old. Here are some things you can do to cut down on the risk of SIDS for your child.

By Suelain Moy

___ Put baby to sleep on his back -- not on his side or tummy.

___ Keep all bedding, blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals out of the crib or bassinet.

___ Give your baby a pacifier at bedtime.

___ Make sure your baby isn't too warm or overdressed.

___ Place your baby's crib or bassinet in your room during the first six months.

___ Breastfed babies are less likely to die from SIDS.

___ Don't smoke. Exposure to smoke in the womb -- and secondhand smoke outside it -- increases the risk.

Excerpted from the AmericanBaby.com Ages & Stages weekly baby newsletter, Week 4.

Originally published on AmericanBaby.com, February 2006.

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

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