Breastfeeding May Be a Factor in Reducing the Risk of SIDS

Every day about seven babies die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome—known as SIDS—and every day seven sets of parents go from the best feeling in the world to the worst feeling in the world. While there is no single cause of SIDS, risk factor shave been identified, and recent research finds that the simple act of breastfeeding can reduce those risks.

SIDS can be the cause of an unexplained death of an infant from the age of one month to one year old. Called SIDS in America, North America also uses the term “crib death,” while the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand call it “cot death.” In most cases, the babies are usually found dead after having been put to bed and show no signs of struggling or suffering coinciding with a clean autopsy ruling out any possible medical reason for the cause of death.

Prenatal risk factors for babies more susceptible to SIDS are: maternal nicotine use, inadequate prenatal care or nutrition, heroin or alcohol use, many births less than twelve months apart, carrying excess weight, pregnancy among teenagers, and the sex of the child (61 percent of cases of SIDS are male). Post-natal risks include secondhand smoke exposure, not breastfeeding, high temperatures in a child’s room, lots of blankets or bedding in the crib, low birth weight, and putting babies to sleep on their stomachs.

Breastfeeding is considered to be the best start in every infant's life. Mothers are advised to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months and give appropriate complimentary foods, and continue breastfeeding their baby until they are two years old. Breastfeeding, in addition to providing nature’s perfect food, lowers the risk for infections in the gastrointestinal, urinary, and respiratory tracts, reduces instances of ear infections and diarrhea. Breastfeeding has also shown to potentially ward off allergies, diabetes, and even obesity later in life for breastfed babies.

A recent study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville found that breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. Even a short period of breastfeeding can reduce the risk of SIDS by 45 percent. Breastfeeding only, without bottle or early food supplementation, could reduce the risk by 73 percent.

The researchers recommendation: “Ideally, breastfeeding should be exclusive (ie, formula should not be given) for at least four to six months and should be continued until the infant is at least 1 year of age."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while 75 percent of U.S. babies start out breastfeeding, only 13 percent are exclusively breastfed at the end of six months.  The rates are particularly low among African-American infants.

It is not an easy task for a new mother to continue breastfeeding while they are returning to work when their infant is just three or four months old. They have to plan very carefully on when and how to pump and store the breastmilk during the hours they are working.

Also contributing to the drop off in breastfeeding is lack of support at home; absence of family members who have experience with breastfeeding; a lack of breastfeeding information from health care clinicians; a lack of time and privacy to breastfeed or express milk at the workplace; and an inability to connect with other breastfeeding mothers in their communities.

Breastfeeding often requires help and support. Family members that understand the importance of breast milk should help to encourage the new mothers to breastfeed their children as long as they can.

Lactation consultants are usually on call at most American hospitals for assistance in proper techniques and procedures. Once home from the hospital, those same consultants can be called upon as needed.

Also available is the La Leche League, whose mission is to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother. Your local chapter offers support groups and in-home counseling.

Give your baby the best start you can: breastfeed.