– How does co sleeping cause SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)?
In: Biology
SIDS, also known as Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), is not from one single cause – it describes any infant death in which the cause is not immediately identifiable.
While the exact proportion is unknown, at least some SIDS cases are likely due to suffocation. Remember that infants have limited control over their mobility and may not be able to extricate themselves from situations in which their nose and mouth are accidentally covered. Things that we think of as harmless – like loose blankets, loose clothing, stuffed animals – may be deadly to a sleeping baby. And that might possibly also include a co-sleeping caretaker who snuggles too close or rolls up against an infant while sleeping.
[Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics](https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep/) for reducing SIDS risk includes:
* Place infants on their backs for sleep in their own sleep space with no other people.
* Use a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet.
* Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items out of the sleep space.
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