On SIDS and Safe Sleep

Last weekend, I was privileged to attend an event for mom bloggers organized by Halo Philippines (www.halophilippines.com). I had been communicating via email and Facebook with Ives Lim-Esteban, the mompreneur in charge of Halo Philippines, for quite some time already, and it was such a pleasure to finally meet her in person. She was even so kind as to pick up Anne and me, so we wouldn't have to take a taxi to the event venue.

Anyway, at the event, Ives gave a talk about safe sleep, in relation to SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Admittedly, I thought I already knew what I needed to know about SIDS after my first child was born since - like most first-time parents - I had already diligently read all that I could about infants and how to care for them. While listening to Ives though, I realized that I was wrong.

For those who are not aware, SIDS refers to the sudden, unexplained death of a seemingly healthy infant from 0 to 12 months of age. It is a silent epidemic that steals the lives of thousands of babies every year, leaving behind grieving parents who have to deal with guilt, anguish and haunting questions like "why did this happen?" and "what could I have done to prevent this?" Ives said that no one really wants to talk about SIDS, which is why we rarely hear about it in the news. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

According to Ives, SIDS is something we should talk about because parents deserve to know simple, life-saving interventions that can protect their babies from the risk of SIDS. For example: Did you know that those adorable, color-coordinated pillows and comforters parents usually buy for their baby's crib actually increase the likelihood for SIDS?

During her talk, Ives also mentioned that in most first world countries like the United States, safe sleep education is being pushed by the government. In fact, in some states, there are even laws that mandate hospitals to educate new parents on safe sleep practices before the baby and the mother are discharged.

Unfortunately, SIDS and safe sleep are not really topics of discussion among parents and medical practitioners here in the Philippines. Luckily, Ives, through Halo Philippines, actively advocates safe sleep in our country. (In case you're wondering what Halo Philippines is all about, they distribute the Halo SleepSack, a unique wearable blanket designed to eliminate the risk of babies accidentally suffocating or getting entangled with loose bedding in the crib. They are used and trusted by over 900 U.S. hospitals, and are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics in place of loose blankets for safer sleep.)

Anyway, back to safe sleep. Ives shared some tips for parents and other caregivers:

-- Place baby to sleep on his or her back at naptime and at night time.

-- Use a crib or a play yard that meets current safety standards (you can visit www.cpsc.gov for more details).

-- Use a firm mattress that fits snugly and is covered with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.

-- Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets, bumpers, and pillows). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a wearable blanket instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.

-- Breastfeed, if possible, but when finished, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe sleep area alongside your bed. If your circumstances do not allow for Baby to have a separate sleep area, remember to practice safe co-sleeping practices.

-- Do not put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, quilts, etc.)

-- Do not let baby overheat. Keep the room temperature at 20 to 22 degrees Celsius as much as possible. Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep. Often, a wearable blanket over light clothing is enough to keep baby warm and cozy all through the night. 

-- Don’t smoke around your baby and never expose your baby to second-hand smoke.

-- When your baby is awake, allow him or her to have supervised tummy time to prevent flat spots and strengthen his or her head and neck muscles.

Ives encouraged us mom bloggers to help spread the word about these simple practices that just take seconds to implement, but could mean life or death for an infant. She also showed us videos of parents of actual SIDS victims. I was trying not to cry, and found myself hugging Anne a little bit tighter (I had to bring her with me to the event, all snug in a sling) while we were watching them. My heart went out to the parents in the videos and the millions of other parents who have ever had to deal with finding their babies - previously perfectly healthy - dead in their cribs or other places where they were laid to sleep.

After Ives had finished speaking, we moms were treated to a nail spa session and snacks. We came away from the event more relaxed and "pampered," and, more importantly, more knowledgeable about safe sleep.

Hopefully, through this post, more and more people will know how important it is to apply safe sleep practices. After all, when it comes to our children, we must do all that we can to keep them healthy and safe.

Note: Halo Philippines distributes safe sleep literature for free. If you are a health care professional, a child birth educator, a member of the media, or are simply interested to be a Halo Safe Sleep advocate, please contact Halo Philippines at halo.philippines@yahoo.com.