Spit-up On My Shoulder

This recent posting in an issue of American Baby made me gasp. We often let my youngest daughter, Linda, sleep in her car seat as an infant because she slept so well there. Little did we know that, according to this new information, we were increasing Linda’s risk of SIDS.

From the September 2008 issue of American Baby:

We know that belly sleeping increases the risk of SIDS. But now scientists in Montreal say that spending lots of time in the sitting position is also a risk factor. After studying 409 unexplained deaths of babies 12 months and younger occurring in Quebec between 1991 and 2000, they found that ten babies died in car seats.

When an infant sits for long stretches, his heavy head flops forward, possibly obstructing his airway. Experts at First Candle, the leading SIDS organization in the United States, recommend you use sitting devices only when your baby is awake and supervised. If he falls asleep, remove him immediately and place him on his back on a firm, flat surface.