New parents and expectant parents often ask me about the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). SIDS is still the leading cause of death for infants between the ages of 1 month and 1 year, but education and control of environmental factors have helped reduce SIDS deaths in the US steadily for decades (the risk is now approximately 1 in 2000 according to the National Institutes of Health). But we still want to do all we can to protect…
You’re late in your pregnancy, outgrowing your maternity clothes, you can’t sleep at night, and you’re so uncomfortable you just want baby to make an appearance already. As tempting as it may be to consider getting this birth show on the road by scheduling an induction or a cesarean birth, there are plenty of benefits to both mom and baby to wait it out until labor begins on its own. With our healthcare system the way it is, we hear a lot…
The baby burrito…there’s nothing so adorable as a sleeping baby all snuggled in a swaddle. And swaddling is a handy tool in a new parent’s arsenal to help soothe a fussy baby, creating a soothing environment more like the womb. But is it safe? After a new study in the journal Pediatrics and a high-profile article in the New York Times, many parents are left wondering if they should ditch the swaddle. So what’s the story? The new information comes from…