What Can We Do?

Families

Parents and caregivers can reduce the risk of infant death from suffocation by being aware of and following these safe sleeping practices.

 

DId You Know?

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• SIDS is the most common cause of death in babies 1 - 12 months old.

 

• Most SIDS deaths happen in the winter.

 

• Boys are more likely than girls to die from SIDS.

 

• Black babies are twice as likely to die of SIDS as white babies.

 

 

 

Accidental Death Babies who are not put to sleep safely could die. A baby could fall off a bed or sofa, get tangled in sheets and blankets or get stuck between a mattress and a wall. A baby can also die when an adult or child rolls over on the baby while sharing a bed.

 

In Philadelphia, more babies have died sharing a bed with an adult or another child than from child abuse. About 3,500 babies die every year in the United States from sleep related deaths, including SIDS.

 

 

 

Other Ways to Keep Baby Safe

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• Babies should be held skin-to-skin with mom as soon as possible after they are born, at least for the first hour.

 

• Take care of yourself and your baby—eat well & see a doctor regularly.

 

• Stay up to date on all required shots for your baby.

 

• Give your baby a pacifier at nap time & bedtime.