SIDS Archives

Browsing Tag

SIDS

Tips to Encourage Babies to Sleep on Their Backs

baby, FAM By Jill Amery April 19, 2013 Tags: baby sleeping on back, SIDS, Sleep, slider, swaddling 2 Comments

People wonder if it is really that important to encourage babies to sleep on their backs. Many hate to be swaddled and tend to flail and scream unless they are snuggled onto their tummy. Unfortunately, babies are safer on their backs. Ugh. But are there tips to encourage babies to sleep on their backs? Yes. We’ve come up with a few..

1. Always put a baby to sleep on their back. Keep flipping them over if they turn.
2. Pillows or rolled up swaddling blankets on either side can go far towards keeping them stationary.
3. Sometimes an indented or v-shaped pillow works wonders when they are tiny.
4. Feed your baby about 30 minutes before bedtime to try satisfaction with a full stomach.
5. Tuck a favourite blanket or piece of your clothing (snugly) around the baby to provide comfort.
6. Leave the room while baby is still awake.
7. Make a routine with sound, book, lighting – whatever you feel you can sustain and repeat.
8. Eliminate stuffed animals, bumpers and loose blankets. We love sleep sacks and swaddlers.

Babies have an increased risk of dying of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, when they sleep on their stomachs. This is related to the inability to lift their head completely. Once the baby can easily lift and turn its head from side to side-usually about 3-4 months – the baby can sleep on its stomach. You might try propping a baby on it’s side using rolled up towels or receiving blankets (to ensure the rolls are well away from their face) and see if she can sleep in this position.

Reduce the risk of SIDS

baby, FAM By Jill Amery September 1, 2010 Tags: crib death, SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome No Comments

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) also known as Crib Death, refers to the sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant under one year of age.Each week, 3 babies die of SIDS in Canada. Such deaths usually occur while the child is sleeping and remain unexplained even after a full investigation. Nobody knows how to prevent SIDS, but the latest research shows that there are things you can do to make your baby safer and reduce the risk of SIDS.

Dealing With Grief After Pregnancy Loss

FAM, pregnancy By Jill Amery April 22, 2009 Tags: early pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, infant death, losing a baby, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, SIDS, stillbirth 1 Comment

Despite the fact that one third of first trimesters will end in miscarriage, it is a topic that stops us in our tracks. When dealing with grief after pregnancy loss, physically and emotionally, a woman and her partner need support and love through this difficult time. In Canada, we are blessed to have a number of services available to us to assist in coping, recovering and assessing our options. Griefworks says that “after the loss of a baby, there may be no satisfying answers. There may have been genetic, fetal, or external factors beyond anyone’s control – yours or your doctor’s.