YORK -- York Mayor Michael Helfrich says Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is the leading cause of infant death between one month and one year of age.
SIDS is often associated with unsafe sleep practices.
Here are some safety tips:
- Parents should never sleep on a couch with their infants. Instead, keep the baby's sleep area close by -- but separate from where parents sleep
- Cribs should be clear of any toys, bumpers, or pillows
- Prevention starts with good pre-natal health care -- even before conception
- Breastfeeding can also significantly decrease the chances of SIDS
- The safest way for your baby to sleep is on its back, ALONE, in a crib, according to Dr. Michael Goldstein, a neo natologist with Wellspan Health. A baby sleeping on its stomach has twice the chance of dying of SIDS, Goldstein says.
The "Cribs For Kids" program provides a safe crib for any family who needs one. For more information on Cribs For Kids, visit Wellspan's website.