What sleeping position reduces the risk of SIDS?

The single most effective action that parents and caregivers can take to lower a baby’s risk of SIDS is to place the baby to sleep on his or her back for naps and at night. Compared with back sleeping, stomach sleeping increases the risk of SIDS by 1.7 – 12.9.

What position causes SIDS?

Studies have found that the side sleep position is unstable and increases the chance that infants will roll onto their stomachs7—the sleep position associated with the highest SIDS risk. The AAP Task Force recommends that infants be placed wholly on their backs to sleep—for naps and at night.

What positions prevent SIDS?

Always Place Baby on His or Her Back To Sleep, for Naps and at Night, To Reduce the Risk of SIDS. The back sleep position is the safest position for all babies, until they are 1 year old.

How much did SIDS decrease with back to sleep?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended since 1992 that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Since that time, the frequency of prone sleeping has decreased from >70% to ∼20% of US infants, and the SIDS rate has decreased by >40%.

Which is the best sleep position for infants with SIDS?

Studies have found that the side sleep position is unstable and increases the chance that infants will roll onto their stomachs 7 —the sleep position associated with the highest SIDS risk. The AAP Task Force recommends that infants be placed wholly on their backs to sleep—for naps and at night.

Why are infants at higher risk of SIDS?

These characteristics might put an infant at higher risk of SIDS. The simple act of placing infants on their backs to sleep significantly lowers SIDS risk. As stomach sleeping has declined in response to back-sleeping campaigns worldwide, statistics show that the contribution of side sleeping to SIDS risk has increased.

What should health care providers know about SIDS?

The Institute has prepared the following answers to commonly asked questions to help educate health care providers about the latest findings of SIDS research and risk-reduction strategies. Please note that some answers are based on expert opinion because current evidence is not sufficient to provide definitive answers.

What was the SIDS rate in the United States in 1990?

SIDS rates declined considerably from 130.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 35.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017. Unknown cause infant mortality rates remained unchanged from 1990 until 1998, when rates began to increase.