(2) What is cot death? Cot death is a diagnosis that’s made when an apparently healthy baby dies, without, warning, and for no clear reason. No one knows why babies die in this way. It must be a combination of factors that affect a baby at a vulnerable stage in their development. Some babies may have a problem with the part of the brain that controls breathing and walking. These babies don’t respond if their breathing is slightly restricted, such as if there are bed clothes covering their nose or mouth. Sadly, there’s no failsafe way to prevent cot death. However, you can do a number of things to keep your baby safe and reduce the risk. Put your baby to sleep on his/her back in a cot or Moses basket. For the first six months this should be in a room with you. Healthy babies placed on their back to sleep are not more likely to choke. This is the safest place and position for your baby to sleep in. At about five months of six months, babies start to roll. At this age the risk of cot death reduces and it’s safe to let your baby find his/her own comfortable sleeping position. But you should still put your baby down to sleep on his/her back. If you wake up and see that your baby is on his/her front, and he/she’s younger than six months old, gently roll him/her onto his/her back. Babies older than this can usually roll on to their back themselves. You don’t need to get up and check throughout the night, as likely to change position regularly when he/she sleeps. Don’t smoke during…
