I'm really worried about the whole SIDS thing. Does anyoen know someone whos baby it happend to?

Question

How can you prevent this? This is really scarry

Answer 1

SIDS CAN NOT BE PREVENTED.
First off positioning has nothing to do with why a baby suddenly stops breathing. Suffocation is not SIDS so a baby that dies on its tummy because it was face down in the crib or because of a blanket is not SIDS it is suffocation, not the same thing. They have changed the way they rule a SIDS death and suffocation is suffocation it is no longer considered SIDS. My daughter was on her back and still died of SIDS. I joined a SIDS group shortly after she died and guess what....most of the mothers in my group have also stated that their babies were on their backs, sides, in strollers, swings, etc. There were only a couple on their tummy. If a baby dies on its tummy and it was not suffocation then yeah it was probably SIDS but that baby would have died in any position just like my daughter did. A sudden cesation of breathing has nothing to do with positioning or there would be no babies at all dying other than in just one position. People are so hell bent on this back to sleep stuff that they follow it so cautiously along with everything else they have come up with and then like me their baby dies and they are left saying but I did everything I was supposed to. It doesn't matter what you do. Whatever is causing these babies to stop breathing is beyond our control as parents. It is something you have no control over and if it's going to happen it's going to happen. Your daughter should just enjoy her baby, as should you, and not let this overwhelm you. I've had two more and both of them slept in whatever position they wanted, usually on their stomach, and they are both fine. SIDS has been known to happen up until 1 year but the risk decreases after six months. I know three people in my SIDS group that lost their babies at 10 month and two at 12 months. There are also 2 that lost their baby to SIDS while their baby was awake so it doesn't even have to happen while they are sleeping. My daughter also had a pacifier in her mouth when she died, so I guess that theory is also just that "A THEORY", as I know a lot of babies that died of SIDS that had a pacifier in their mouth from my SIDS group.

I don't know what the poster below me was trying to say, but that was not SIDS.
There is also no such thing as a baby almost dying of SIDS. If a baby stops breathing and it is SIDS that baby is already gone. A baby that stops breathing due to SIDS cannot be revived. If a baby stops breathing and is revived then it was apnea. My husband was sitting right beside my daughter when she stopped breathing and noticed it right away. I started CPR immediately and the EMS was there very quick since we only lived 2 blocks away. She was not able to be revived and in the hospital I had three specialists tell me that I did all I could and that since it was SIDS there was nothing I could do. She could have been right there in the hospital for some other reason and stopped breathing and would still have died. This is just another mystery about it they cannot figure out.

Answer 2

SIDS is rare and it is unlikely your baby will suffer from it, but it is impossible to know whose baby will suffer from it. I've read it happens more often to baby boys than baby girls. With most occuring before 6 months of age. I've also read more incidents occur during winter months. I'm not sure anything really prevents SIDS, I've heard to put the baby to bed in blanket sleepers and not to use loose blankets, and to have nothing else in the bed with the baby, to always lay the baby down on it back in a crib and not to hold the baby while it sleeps. I've also heard use of a pacifier prevents SIDS. I don't know though that any of these things help. My niece's baby died of SIDS when he was 3 1/2 months old. He was lying on his back in a crib, he used a pacifier, he did use blankets though, his mother was a non-smoker. My niece had just returned to work and her husband was in Iraq when my great-nephew died. He was with a trusted friend of my niece at the time. It was a devastating life changing expierence for both my niece and her friend. I used to think if you were right there when it happened you could revive the baby I have since learned their is absolutely nothing you can do in a SIDS case it is not just that they stop breathing and you can wake them and restart it, it is instead a total body shut down, Their brain shuts off and not just there heart and lungs. SIDS is irreversible. Parents and caregivers feel responsible for the baby's death and often wonder "what If?" There are no easy answers in SIDS, and really nothing to predict it and little if anything to prevent it, although following steps such as on your back to sleep, nothing in the crib but the baby, use of a pacifier, may or may not help, there should be no harm in trying them. I've also read there is no link between Vaccines and SIDS, I would encourage you to continue with vaccines, your baby would be more at risk for other childhood illnesses than they would be for SIDS.

Answer 3

I saw on the discovery channel that research has shown some newborns are prone to suffocation. That they are born that way. There's not much you can do. I know its hard when you are a new parent, I was scared too. Just put baby to sleep on his back and don't have a blanket in the crib for the first couple months. I dressed my daughter at night in warm jammies and a hat just in case she got cold (im always cold) Don't worry, the rate of SIDS has gone down since babies are being put on thier backs to sleep.

Answer 4

No, I don't.

I say this to drive home a point: SIDS is extremely rare. It is natural to be anxious about your own baby's well-being. There are so many tests and practices out there to ensure a "healthy baby" that it is easy to become caught up in it and forget that your baby is actually very healthy.

Now, I do encourage testing for diseases, allergies and other problems as they can literally save your baby's life in the small chance one test returns positive.

Also, the practices you can adopt without undue discomfort may help prevent other problems (e.g. Back to Sleep/Front to Play for SIDS). However, if the child constantly rolls onto his belly to sleep, it might not be practical to fight his instinct.

Answer 5

Yes, I know a woman who lost her baby to sids, BUT she smoked the whole time she was pregnant and had the baby exposed to all kinds of smoke when he was born. He was also born with webbed fingers. He lived for one month exactly until she found him.
Don't bring the baby so sleep with you, always put baby on it's back or side, never allow people to smoke around your baby, and breastfeed. Those are the best ways to prevent it.
Nothing will ever stop you from worrying but as long as you're doing all you can, then things sould be fine.
Good luck!!

Answer 6

I certainly know how you feel. When I was pregnant with my 5 month old SIDS was stressing me out big time. Once baby came I really never thought about it, she slept on her back, she did great. They actually say that if they suck a soother at night it helps prevent SIDS as well as they are sucking it periodically in their sleep. Don't stress about it, its going to drive you nuts and make you crazy. Just enjoy baby.

Answer 7

I don't know anyone who had it happen. But I think as a soon to be or a new mother we all worry about it. I know I had my baby in bed with my for 6 months and was consintly watching for him to breath. He is now a healthy, happy 17 month old. I worried a lot but in the end everything was fine.

Answer 8

My cousin died of SIDS years ago, she was found in the morning by her mother in a crib :(
Here's a link to preventing SIDS http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102100.asp
I also urge you to think about at least delaying vaccinations, there's a link between vaccinations and SIDS here http://www.thinktwice.com/sids.htm

Answer 9

Theres things you can do, but in the end....

My cousin lost her baby at 28 days old to SIDS.

She did everything right, but it still happened in the middle of the night.

Answer 10

I know 2 people that it happened to. You really have to try and not stress about it. Make sure you put the baby to sleep on their back and that there are no covers able to cover the babies face. Other than that there is not a lot more you can do. Try not to think about that, enjoy your baby... :0)