Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than 1 year old in which the cause was not obvious before investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area.

CREATING A SAFE SLEEP AREA FOR BABIES
Health care providers and researchers don’t know the exact causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, research shows parents and caregivers can help reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths by doing the following:
-Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—naps and at night.
-Use a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet.
-Keep your baby’s sleep area (for example, a crib or bassinet) in the same room where you sleep until your baby is at least 6 months old, or ideally, until your baby is one year old.
-Keep soft bedding such as blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys out of your baby’s sleep area.
-Do not cover your baby’s head or allow your baby to get too hot.
-Signs your baby may be getting too hot include sweating or his or her chest feels hot.

Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion