How to Reduce The Risk Of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

Partial knowledge about anything can be unsettling, if not entirely dangerous. Back in the winter months of 2001, I was a first-time mother, raising a tiny baby boy. I had heard bits and pieces about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a parent's worst nightmare, on an American TV show. However, with limited (read 'no') access to the Internet, my half-baked knowledge on the subject left me anxious. I obsessively checked on my baby if he slept for too long, or did not move in his sleep. The cozy quilts and blankets that were snug around him only fuelled my anxiety.

Information is more readily available to today's parents. However, SIDS still remains a taboo subject, something that every new parent hears about, but none wants to discuss. With several questions about this condition lurking in our minds, here is a compilation of some important, good-to-know facts about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. (Before you proceed, please note that the purpose of this article is not to create panic, but to generate awareness that will help us take better care of our little angels).

What Is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

Also known as Cot Death or Crib Death, SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant while sleeping, where the cause of death remains unexplained. Most babies that succumb to SIDS seem to have been healthy before death. Infants between 2 and 4 months are believed to be at the highest risk of SIDS.</