Tuesday, July 26, 2011

New info on SIDS

So, we inadvertantly (well, at least unintentionally) opened a small can of baby worms with our last post.  Here is a VERRRRY academic article on SIDS that is quite thorough in its analysis.  And, if you skip through most of the parts with the really big words and any part that says "pathophysiologically" or "biomarkers" or what have you and skip to the summary, there you will find that the author has listed out the risk factors for SIDS.  As with so many diseases and disorders of infancy, Being Born Poor is the worst thing that a baby can do.  Being Born Poor and to a mother who smoked during pregnancy and into a household where there is tobacco smoke and in which baby is put to sleep lying on his belly or on a couch is even worse.  So, while co-sleeping is mentioned, it's not the devil that our last post may have been interpreted to say it is.

Another separate post on co-sleeping will follow, however, it is our feeling that the best place for newborn babies (less than 12 weeks) is in the parent(s)'s room in a separate spot for baby (e.g., bassinet, baby basket, etc.)  Apparently, it is no longer considered safe to do as Trixie did with her Little Ones, which is to put them in their car seats.  Here is an article published in the journal Pediatrics in 2009 that showed lower oxygen levels for two day old infants placed in car seats versus beds.  While the study isn't controlled all that well, the evidence here does suggest that sleeping long-term in a car seat is not ideal.  A brief review of the chat rooms out there showed that many parents do use the car seat, especially when dealing with reflux.

Finally, if you do decide to bring Baby into your bed, remember to make sure that there is no loose bedding (pillows, covers, the Sunday Times) that could cover Baby's face.  Check that there isn't a Baby-size gap between the headboard and the mattress.  Place Baby on her back, preferably on the mattress, and never on anything too soft (like a comforter.)

And always remember to discuss sleep with your pediatrician!

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