When Can I Relax and Stop Worrying About SIDS

"After your baby's first birthday, her likelihood of succumbing to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) drops dramatically, and you can rest easier. Babies between 2 and 4 months old are most at risk, and 90 percent of SIDS cases are in babies under the age of 6 months.

Very rarely — at a rate of 1.3 deaths per 100,000 children — a child 12 months or older dies for unknown reasons. This is called sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), and according to the SUDC Program, there's no known way to prevent it."

I did worry about SIDS, but tried not to excessively worry. My nephew died of SIDS at 3 months old, when I was 18. I was there to see him lying dead in his crib. That image was still pretty fresh in my mind even though 22 years passed before I had my daughter.

It helped me to read about the risk factors -
•smoking, drinking, or drug use during pregnancy
•poor prenatal care
•prematurity or low birth-weight
•mothers younger than 20
•tobacco smoke exposure following birth
•overheating from excessive sleepwear and bedding
•stomach sleeping

And then, I needed to admit that I am not in control of everything, and just believe that she would be OK.

6 moms found this helpful

The risk of SIDS drastically decreases after 12 months.

Go buy the Angel Care Deluxe Movement Monitor.. it sounds off if there is no movement detected for x seconds (we had a few false alarms once my son learned to stand up, BUT, we learned to turn it on after we knew he was asleep, and no more false alarms)... now, it seconds as an escape alarm for whenever my son finally figures out how to climb out of the crib :)

I'd gladly pay 3x what I did for that monitor!!

When my second child was about 2 1/2 months old, I was babysitting a 5 week old baby as well. He passed away from SIDS, in my care. I didn't know about the movement monitor, and life was hell after that, I was so upset about the loss of this child, and scared for my baby's safety. I didn't sleep for MONTHS (literally... I would lay awake and make sure she was breathing).

When I was pregnant with my 3rd, I told everyone he was NOT coming home from the hospital until we had that monitor installed. The peace of mind if PRICELESS.

BTW, my first daughter favored sleeping on her stomach... she was fine. Since the passing of the baby (baby Dylan), they've found an actual genetic link in babies who die of SIDS. Unless your child is prone to sleep apnea spells, start breathing easy!! The fear never completely goes away, but it does get better over time :)

AND, at 11 months, your child knows to move if they can't breathe, like if the blanket smooches against his little face. A blanket is not only fine, but probably necessary!! :)

LADIES, I'm reading a lot of off information on here. Babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, hence the 'back to sleep' campaign against SIDS. Here's the thing: once a child can flip themselves over, you do NOT have to wake them and flip them on their backs every time, no one would ever sleep!

Blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc are mostly dangers to newborn's who do not have the neck muscle control to move themselves if something covered their faces.

Kids don't like to be smothered. They're going to fight like hell to breathe. A 5-6 month old has the neck control to move if they can't breathe... an 11 month old most certainly can. I'm not saying put a huge, queen size comforter in the crib, but a light blanket is perfectly appropriate.

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if you are looking for a blanket.. we put an afgan (crochet) blanket.. so if it goes over the face.. they can still breath.

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My SO works in the medical field. He was just at a training course and there they mentioned that they think the reason for SIDS was found. Baby Powder! That's right. When they removed baby powder as a recommended course of treatment on baby's skin reports of SID's dropped by 98%. The cloud of talc that a baby would lay in during a diaper change was very bad for babies lungs, anyones lungs for that matter.
So stop worrying and enjoy your little one!

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When your baby is able to roll from front to back (and back) on his own, the risk of SIDS decreases by 99%. Per my pediatrician, and a friend who is also a pediatrician.
So really, the worry phase passed quite some time ago.

You're fine to put a blank in with him.
(I've had blankets in with my kids as soon as they started rolling, so 4 and 5 mos.)

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12 months is when you can relax a little about SIDS. My pediatrician says once a child can turn himself over both ways you don't need to worry about putting him on his back anymore. Your child at 11 months is likely in more danger awake (because of accidents/adventure) than asleep. I don't think you need to worry about the blanket.

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Used a sleep sack with both my kids- wonderful! My second is 1 1/2 and still wears one on cool nights.
With my first, I was very scared of SIDS and even removed the pacifier once my son fell asleep, so I know where you are coming from. With my second, he had a ton of sleep/reflux/allergy issues. I got the okay from the doc after 6 months to introduce a lovey (small stuffed animal) and put a couple towels under the mattress. He said there is still risk after 6 months but since my son could turn over and was stronger and bigger, he was at practically no risk. At 12 months I gave him a flat old full size pillow and the rest of his stuffed animals.
I used a breathable bumper for awhile until he started trying to stand on it to climb out of the crib.

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The recommendation is a year. However, I would stick with a sleep sac for as long as they fit. Completely unrelated to SIDS. My son has NEVER been able to keep the blanket on top of him. As soon as we switched to pjs and a blanket (probably at 2) he started to wake in the middle of the night calling for us. He was always semi-conscious - cold but not awake enough to understand what to do.

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I would use a blanket sleeper with feet or a blanket sleeping bag type sleeper. That way you can put them in a thinner pair of pj's under those and it's like having a blanket on top. If you want to put a blanket on though it is fine at this age. As long as it's not tucked in to where he could get under it and get stuck he'd be fine. If it helps any, I had all 8 of my kids in the pre SIDS days and 7 of them slept on their stomach from birth and all lived. One refused and wanted to sleep on his back. I hate how it's scared mothers to death now days. Of course be cautious with a new born but if they have plenty of air to breath around them, are checked on, not too hot, they should be fine. Don't worry.

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My pediatrician said it was safe to use a blanket at the age of 1 and a pillow at the age of 2. I followed the advice but take it for what it's worth. Once a child is old enough to roll over on his own the rate of SIDS declines SIGNIFICANTLY! It's so hard not to be paranoid about it though. I certainly was!

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As Sue. W. said you're really 'in the clear' now. I would tuck the blanket in at the bottow of the mattress so that it only comes up to his chest when his feet are at the bottom. That way it really can't cover his face, but still keeps him warm.
I see others recommend the sleep sack, which is great, but personally my kids wouldn't allow it. I think once they got used to no restrictions they got mad if I tried swaddling them.

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well, as far as "no danger", I really dont think anyone can honestly or accurately answer that. But, my sons' pedi told us that after they are 1 the risk pretty much nosedives down immensely! I say that at 11 months old, when they are rolling over, sitting up etc the risk is much smaller than when newbies. I have been letting my twins sleep with a bib since they were a few months old simply because the fall alseep holding it close to their mouths sometimes chewing on it. when they were much littler I would take it away as soon as they were sleeping but would leave it in there so they could get it if they woke up. our oldest we would cover him chest down with a blanket when he was little simply because the child did not move at all once he fell asleep. he would not sleep on his back, refused from day one. he only slept on his right side. until he was alittle over a year old that is how he slept. I would start to relax a bit, and i would use a blanket to cover from his chest down, maybe checking on hime from time to time to make sure he doesnt cover his face etc.

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I always swaddled mine, on their backs until they could roll on their own. Then I would lightly drape their blankets. I always used the light weight Circo weaved receiving blankets with small holes throughout. My thought was that if they did get it on their face that they could still breathe.

Blanket sleepers and light weight sleepers do the trick also.

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I just heard a story of a baby dying of SIDS a week after his 1st b-day.......it was not the fault of blankets or pillows......just happened. WE have had a Snuza Go (clips on the diaper and alarms if a baby stops breething after 20 sec)monitor since our 3rd baby was born. She just turned 1 and I am still using it.Get a larger sleep sack and use it instead of a blanket if you are worried.

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I typically breathe a big sigh of relief around the time my girls learned to crawl. I figured if they get into an uncomfortable position or can breathe very well, then they can easily reposition themselves. So for us, by 10 months we considered ourselves "in the clear".

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I think at about 5 months old...Or once they are up and mobile more on their own.

I have my own slight theory of what causes sids....And I will share it...Babies are super fragile. And when they are laying on there tummies...It is very hard to breathe in completely, being supported by that fragile of a frame. Which can probably cause some trouble getting enough oxygen....Which is why it is safer to lay them on there backs...Because they dont have the weight of their bodies to lift when inhaling and exhaling...Just my theory no medical backing behind this at all...

Point being...Once they are strong enough to move on their own...They are in the bigger clear of sids...Because they have better control of what their functions can do on their own.

I would hold off on the blanket, just yet. Give him until he is a bit over one to add that into the mix...Do footie Pajamas...The warmer fleece ones.

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My son is 15 months old and he uses a sleep sack, he is not using a blanket yet. I don't think you have to worry about SIDS, but you do have to worry about them get tangled up in a blanket or something. My son is ALL OVER the crib at night that is the only reason he sleeps in a sleep sack because one he would not stay still enough to stay covered up and two he would probably be tangled up. I think it varies from kid to kid :)

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as soon as they can lift their heads and turn them.. they are fine.

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Sleep sack! They're WONDERFUL! I put my oldest in one until he was almost 2 years old. Was that maybe a bit long? Probably. But I sure slept better at night knowing he wasn't going to be suffocated by his blanket. I'll do the same with my now 8 month old as well. After that, I was perfectly comfortable with him using a regular blanket. I know the risk of SIDS goes down quite a bit at 6 months and even more at a year old.

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You can stop worrying. SIDS happens during the first couple or so months of life when the baby is unable to move away from smothering things.

In fact experts still are not sure what causes SIDS. It may have nothing to do with smothering. Any death after, I think it's 6 mos. is not assumed to be SIDS. It requires an investigation.

Your baby is mobile. He is out of danger for SIDS As to the blanket, remember that one can still breathe with a blanket over one's face. It's not a blanket that causes smothering. It's fluffy, think comforter like things when the baby can't move away from them. ie. is unable to lift head or roll over.

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Have you seen the new SIDS monitor? You can find it on the Doctors show website.

If you are going to worry this much, then maybe this little device would offer you some peace.

I never worried about SIDS. No baby in our huge family ever died, and the only families I have ever met where there was a SIDS case involved, was with a baby that was not nursed and/or a baby that slept alone all the time before 12 mos of age. I know they teach sleeping on the back nowadays, but we don't do that in our family either.

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I believe the risk of SIDS goes down significantly after 1 year.

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A light blanket is okay for his age. It isn't just about lifting and turning head though blanket wise, because young babies can do that, and still get caught up and suffocate in a blanket. But since he has no blanket, he is good if he rolls over. At 11 months, he should be able to remove the blanket from over his face if it ended up there. The general rule of safety is one year.

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Please do it now.....we have too many worries as moms as it is do what you can and know that you are doing that!

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i've heard you can rest easier at 12 months, but i'll tell ya...my son is 15.5 months and i STILL worry about it :(

I don't know if it's been said...but I use a halo sleep blanket with my little girl. It's a great alternative to a blanket. They make a fleece one you can use in the winter.