Room Temperature Can Help Reduce the Risk of SIDS
Parents no longer have to lose
sleep over Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) thanks to the latest research
findings, and they can take a proactive role in reducing both the worry and risk
involved for their infant. SIDS appears to result from a combination of various
factors including breathing difficulties, underdevelopment of baby’s
cardio-respiratory control functions, dangerous sleeping habits, and various
medical conditions.
Dr. William Sears, father of eight and a practicing
pediatrician for over 30 years, suggests that the following SIDS risk lowering
steps can help parents can reduce the risk and create a nurturing, safe, and
comfortable environment for their little one, both pre-natally and post-natally.
The first step, according to Dr.
Sears, is giving your baby a healthy womb environment. Although the SIDS
risk in premature babies is higher, the good news is that over 99 percent of
premature infants don't die of SIDS and that mothers-to-be can take pre-emptive
steps to lessen their baby’s risk to SIDS with smart prenatal choices. He
advises getting good prenatal care, feeding yourself properly with lots of
high-nutrition foods, and giving your baby a drug-free and smoke-free womb are
three great ways to decrease the risk.
He also advises keeping your baby comfortably warm, but not
too warm. Over-bundling, and consequently overheating, has been shown to
increase the risk of SIDS. Overheating may disrupt the normal neurological
control of sleep and breathing. The respiratory control center in the brain is
affected by abnormal changes in temperature, and SIDS researchers believe that
overheating may cause respiratory control centers in some babies to fail.
Make sure your baby’s head is uncovered, and put your baby
to sleep on his side or back. When baby sleeps on her stomach, or prone, with
her cheek and abdominal organs against the bedding, these prime areas of heat
release are covered, thus conserving heat. Also, never bundle a sick baby, as
babies who are sick tend to have fevers, and bundling only increases body
temperature. Keep the room temperature where your baby sleeps around 68
degrees, unless you have a preterm or newborn weighing less than eight pounds;
then you might want to increase the temperature by a few degrees.
As a general
guide, dress and cover your infant in as much, or as little, clothing and
blankets as you would put on yourself. Then, let your hands be a thermostat.
Babies who are overheated tend to be more restless as well.
