SIDS by Baby's Age
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants between 1 month and 1 year of age.
Even though SIDS can occur any time during a baby's first year, most SIDS deaths occur in babies between 1 and 4 months of age.
SIDS is less common after 8 months of age, but parents and caregivers should continue to follow safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death until baby's first birthday.
More than 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age.
72% of SIDS deaths occur in Months 1–4.
To reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death:
Always place baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night.
Graphic: Back sleeping baby icon.
Share your room with baby. Keep baby close to your bed, on a separate surface designed for infants.
Graphic: Room sharing icon.
Use a firm and flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib*, covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft items in the sleep area.
Graphic: Crib icon.
Breastfeed your baby to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Graphic: Breastfeeding icon.
*For information on crib safety, contact the CPSC at 1-800-638-2772 or http://www.cpsc.gov.
Graphic: Safe to Sleep logo®.
Learn more about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death at http://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov.
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