Cot death - what is it and how do we reduce the risk?

The thought of their new son or daughter quietly slipping away while they sleep fills many new parents with dread. No one knows why cot deaths happen, but Dad Info's ten golden rules will help you to reduce the risk...

Cot death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby aged between one month and a year.

It is rare, yet it still claims the lives of seven babies every week in the UK. Doctors don't yet understand what causes babies to die suddenly and unexpectedly but a great deal is now known about how to reduce the risk.

• Common baby illnesses

Ten tips to reduce the risk

All new parents are given a leaflet about how to reduce the risk of cot death for their baby, usually during a hospital visit or immediately after the birth.

The golden rules are:

1. place your baby on his back to sleep
2. no smoking during the pregnancy - that goes for mum, dad and visitors
3. after the birth, don't let anyone smoke anywhere in the house. Whether your baby is at home at the time or not, your house should remain smoke free
4. nobody should smoke around the baby when you are outside
5. don’t let your baby get too hot
6. keep your baby's head uncovered when indoors
7. place your baby with feet touching the foot of the cot, to prevent wriggling down under the covers
8. Recent research shows that you shouldn't share a bed with your baby if you or your partner have recently drunk alcohol, smoked a cigarette, are extremely tired, or have taken any drugs that make you sleepy, such as cold and flu remedies or anti-allergy tablets
9. never fall asleep with your baby on a sofa - this increases the risk of cot death by a massive 50 times
10. if your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly

Some parents choose to put their baby's cot in their bedroom for the first six months to keep an eye on things, but this is a short term measure as cot death rarely occurs in babies over one year old.

• Major symptoms to watch out for in your child

Author

Gavin Evans is a father of two daughters - aged 17 and 13 - and lives in North London. 15 years ago he changed gear from being a full-time reporter to full-time parent and part-time journalist. His writing on issues affecting fathers has been published in a wide range of publications including The Guardian, The Independent, Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, The Times and The New Statesman. He has written five books on sport, a chapter on men in Your Pregnancy Bible and is completing his first screenplay. Gavin also regularly posts blogs at www.gavinevans.net.

Your tips

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