New Guidelines To Prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Released

SIDS claims the lives of about 3,500 babies each year in the U.S.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has new advice out for parents to protect babies from sudden infant death syndrome.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

All right. We have some tips now for new parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics is releasing new advice today about how to protect babies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. SIDS claims the lives of about 3,500 babies each year in the United States.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Pediatricians say there are some very simple things that can sharply lower that risk. A big one - always put babies to sleep on their backs, never on their stomachs. And also on a very firm surface, such as a crib with a tight-fitting sheet. Never let a baby sleep on a soft couch or chair.

GREENE: The new recommendations also advise parents to keep their sleeping babies in the same room with them at night, preferably for a full year, but at least for the first six months. Here is Rachel Moon, who helped write the new guidelines.

RACHEL MOON: We do know that if a baby is in the same room and not on the same surface as a parent, that the risk of dying is halved compared to if the baby's in a separate room.

MONTAGNE: And that's pretty big. So, again, an infant should always sleep in his or her own crib or bassinet, and never with anything that could smother a baby, like crib bumpers, blankets, pillows or soft toys.

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