SIDS- what exactly do i need to know?

Hi everyone...as this is the best place i know to find information about pregnancy etc.- i have found much more support here than i have through friends etc. i have to say!! i thought i might ask just exactly i need to be aware of for preventing SIDS. i have bought one of those movement sensor pads you put under baby while its sleeping, only to be told i completely wasted my money. oh well, i see it as i'd rather be safe than sorry. i'm really paranoid so just thought i should find out as many facts as i can...also, what is the best thing to put baby in to sleep when i first bring it home? do i need a bassinette? everyone i speak to is giving me conflicting info..help will be much appreciated. thanks..

There have been studies that have shown that co sleeping is a good method of avoiding SIDS, it's all to do with the mother and baby being in tune with one another apparently (I can't remember the exact reasoning behind it). Also taking baby to a home that is smoke free and even sleeping baby in the same room as you can help. The biggest thing is not so much where they are sleeping, but how they are put to bed - on their back, towards the end of the bed (if using a cot) and not too many covers over them. If you go to the sids for kids website they have some guidelines there.

Hi Gracie, my dp's first son James died of sids at 9 weeks old, so he is fanatical about finding out all of the information that he can.
Sids for kids has a website with everything you need to know on it, just google sids for kids and it should be at the top.

The usual things that you can do to avoid it are,
Put baby to sleep on their back
Keep them away from ciggarette smoke
Make sure they're not too hot/cold
Just to name a few
I hope this helps
In reguards to the motion sensor pad, dp was adament he wanted one when i was pg with Nick, but we rang sids for kids and they said it can make you more paranoid because the alarms tend to go of quite frequently even if bub is ok, so we decided against it, but if you and DH think it will keep yor mind at ease then it might be ok for you, it comes down to individual choice.
I know it's hard but try not to worry to much about it, i did with my first pregnancy and it turned me into a wreck

from my research dressing them and having their bedding in 100% cotton stuff is meant to help as that breathes and polyester does not. So we have just about everything in 100% cotton as this is a fear of mine also.

I have a breathing monitor (different to the motion/movement ones) I only got it for the second child because I didnt know they were available when I had Luke. I love it. It definately works. Every time I pick him up and forget to turn it off it goes off. It has never been off yet by misatake or for real which I hope it never does. It was pretty expensive but I'm surprised how much better I feel having it.

I also do what everyone else has said. Except I don't co-sleep (well only when I fall asleep feeding through the night)

I'd add to this- the Amby Baby Hammock site claims that its products are the only baby beds which have *never* had a SIDS death occur in them. They've been selling for over a decade now, so that's a pretty good wrap. It's also one that's fairly easy to verify, and was a major factor in my buying a hammock.

ok, thanks guys. will check out the websites suggested. thanks

I also bought the sensor pad... I think id rather it go off and check it, then be going in and checking all the time anyways... I think either way I am going to be paranoid....

We also have the sensor pad with our DS. It has never gone off with a false alarm.

One other thing that I think is really important is don't use cot bumbers! The baby shops all have lovely displays with matching bedding and beautiful bumpers in the cots. They are just plain dangerous. Use a firm mattress that is the correct size for your cot, a fitted sheet and top sheet and blanket tucked in tightly away from babys face. For a new born that's about it, no soft toys, no sheets/blankets that aren't tucked in and definitely no bumpers!!

The reasoning behind co-sleeping being a preventative of SIDS is the breathing.
When we breathe out we exhale CO2, this triggers the brain's reminder to take a breath in, to bring oxygen into the blood stream. The mother/parent's breathing regulates the baby's breathing, so co-sleeping babies rarely have those moments that non-co-sleeping mothers report where the baby stops breathing for a few moments before taking a breath in.
It is thought that one of the factors in SIDS is the baby not breathing IN again after an exhalation, rather than suffocation or sleeping on the tummy. I can't remember where I read that, but I DID read it!
Couldn't tell you about the props and gadgets you can get, cos I never got them, sorry!

Hi Gracie,

I know the SIDS Foundation here in Canberra holds an info session each week. They used to charge people $5 to attend or $10 per family, but due to the increase in SIDS, they have made it a no-cost thing. Perhaps if you get in touch with your local SIDS Foundation, they may do the same.

HTH