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A Position for Life: Helping Babies Avoid SIDS
The side and stomach are the best positions for calming unhappy
babies. They’re as soothing as cookies and warm milk for them.
However, all experts agree that after babies are calmed and they are put
to bed, they should only sleep on their backs.
In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended
that babies never sleep on their stomachs. Research showed that infants
who were put down in that position had an increased risk of dying from
crib death, or what’s known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In

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a giant victory for families, we were able to lower the death rate from
SIDS from six thousand babies a year to three thousand five hundred,
just by keeping sleeping babies off their stomachs.
In March 2000, the AAP issued its latest advice on protecting babies
from SIDS. They stated that SIDS was rare under one month of age,
peaking between two and four months. They also noted that babies with
the highest risk of SIDS were those who slept on their stomachs, slept on
a soft substance, had moms who smoked, were overheated, had no
prenatal care, had teenage mothers, or were born prematurely. They
went on to recommend that babies always be put to sleep on their backs
and said that side-sleeping was not recommended because it was also
associated with a higher risk of SIDS (probably due to babies
accidentally rolling onto their stomachs during sleep).
Furthermore, to prevent SIDS, the AAP recommends that you don’t
smoke during pregnancy and eliminate all smoking from your house;
don’t take alcohol or sedative drugs, especially when you bed-share;
never sleep with your baby on a sofa or waterbed; keep soft objects out
of his bed (toys, pillows, sheepskins, loose blankets, comforters); and
don’t let your baby get hot and sweaty to the touch.