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First & Second Trimesters

Prenatal care starts early. Maintaining good prenatal care for you and your unborn baby, including proper nutrition and frequent medical checkups, is the first step to protecting your baby against SIDS, stillbirth and other causes of infant death. Research shows that some babies are more vulnerable to SIDS than others due to an abnormality in their brainstem that occurs as the fetus is developing. Maternal conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and blood clotting disorders also increase the risk of stillbirth if not detected and treated during pregnancy.

Do not smoke during your pregnancy. Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at 2-3 times higher risk for SIDS and stillbirth, and that risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Exposure to second hand smoke after birth also puts your baby at increased risk for SIDS and other respiratory illness.

Communicate with your doctor throughout your pregnancy.! Share any concerns you may have about your pregnancy with your doctor, but call immediately if you experience any vaginal bleeding, leakage or sharp pain at any point in your pregnancy. These could be signs of complications that could lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a low birth-weight baby that is at increased risk for SIDS.

Providing a safe sleep environment is the single most important step you can take to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental infant deaths. Take time during your second trimester to learn all you can about providing a safe sleep environment for your precious bundle. First Candle understands that parents make choices about sleep environments for many different reasons. While we recommend putting your baby to sleep in a safety-approved crib, we encourage you to duplicate the vision created by our safe sleep messages no matter where you choose to put your baby to sleep.

Every parent dreams about their baby’s nursery, but when it comes to safe sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental infant deaths, less is best. All you really need is a safety-approved crib with a firm, tight fitting mattress covered by only a sheet. Cute quilts and comforters can be used as wall-hangings or tummy-time mats, soft or pillow-like bumpers should be avoided and stuffed toys and animals should be displayed in baskets or on shelves. You should also steer clear of positioners and other products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS. When considering a home nursery monitor, remember that while they may be a great way to monitor noise, activity and temperature in your baby’s room, they are not effective at preventing a SIDS death.

For questions or guidance on specific products, please contact First Candle at 800-221-7437 or the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772.