SIDS Awareness Month

There seems to be a designated month for everything under the sun, but October is special because it’s been named as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month. Did you know that on average, over 1500 babies in the U.S. succumb to SIDS each year? The stats are scary, but information is power.

Researchers are working hard to identify causes and recommend solutions, but the problem is multi-faceted. The Safe to Sleep ® campaign recommends that all healthy infants younger than one-year-old be placed on their backs to sleep. Follow the ABC’s of safe sleep (alone on her back in a bare crib or sleeping surface for all sleeps in a bare crib (no bumper bads, soft toys, or blankets). Other prevention tips include practicing room-sharing without surface sharing, breastfeeding your baby, and avoiding smoking, vaping, and impairment.

Baby safety is one of the longest modules in my Stork School course. Please take the time to educate yourself and your partners (including grandparents and childcare providers) on how to implement safe sleep practices. You can learn more by enrolling in the Stork School course at bevgillen.com/courses.