What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? Sometimes a baby
who seems healthy dies during sleep. This is called sudden
infant death syndrome or SIDS. In most cases, a parent or
caregiver places the baby down to sleep and returns later to
find the baby has died. It's no one's fault. SIDS can happen
even when you do everything right. Although SIDS is rare, it is
one of the most common causes of death in babies between 1 and
12 months of age. Most babies who die of SIDS are between the
ages of 2 and 4 months. What causes SIDS? Doctors don't know
what causes SIDS. It seems to happen more often in premature and
low-birth-weight babies. It also is seen more often in babies
whose mothers didn't get medical care during the pregnancy and
in babies whose mothers smoke. SIDS may also be more likely in
babies who were part of a multiple pregnancy (for example, twins
or triplets) or whose mothers are younger than 20. When babies
sleep on their bellies, they may not breathe well. Not too long
ago, side sleeping was said