SIDS

A dear friend of mine is pregnant and recently asked a group of us what are the three things that we couldn't live without when we had our little ones. I thought about her question and asked Mike his opinion, but before responding I read the other responses. After reading one in particular, I stopped. It said "blanket sleep sacks. The sleep sacks prevent sids." I reread the line a few times.

I walked away and pondered this simple, innocent line – "the sleep sacks prevent sids." I contemplated writing a post about this and chancing my friend being upset with me. However, it made me realize how many people still have little understanding about what SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is and that, based on medical evidence, nothing can prevent it – including sleep sacks.

SIDS is just a label for a death that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy, examination of the death scene and a review of the clinical history is concluded. Parents can take preventive measures to help reduce the risk of SIDS but that doesn't mean it won't happen. There is nothing that can absolutely prevent it. No one knows what causes it or why these seemingly healthy babies die. All you can do is try to minimize the risk, which sleep sacks can do.

This post isn't meant to scare anyone, especially expectant or new parents. It's simply meant to help educate. If my sister could have prevented my nephew's death, she would have, we all would have. He died on May 24, 2005 for unknown reasons. Three excruciatingly long months later, the medical report labeled it SIDS.