A recent study suggests that the common method of swaddling babies in blankets, with their heads clear might be causing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The swaddling method is commonly used to calm babies and make them sleep better, since it feels as if they were on the wound. Yet a recent investigation published in the journal AAP Gateway affirms the contrary.

SIDS
A recent study suggests that the common method of swaddling babies in blankets, with their heads clear might be causing SIDS. Credit: Sleepwellbaby.ca

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) around 1,500 SIDS are reported in the United States every year and is the main cause of children’s death under the age of 1.

Normally when a child passes away from SIDS, doctors can not explain why it happened even after an autopsy is held.

Research on swaddling

The data was extracted from 282 articles and 4 studies that informed about infant SIDS, primary studies included two decades of studies held in England, Australia and Chicago.

The group of investigators researched data from different national studies involving 2,519 child’s, 760 of which had passed away of SIDS. Of the total number 323 infants had been swaddled, 133 died of those swaddled also died of SIDS.

Between the findings, investigators saw that babies sleeping on their stomach or back appeared to be more likely to have died of sudden infant death syndrome.

The risks increased in infants of 6 months and on, since they were more likely to roll over and sleep on their belly.

“Babies who were swaddled were 50 to 60 percent more likely to die of SIDS,” said Rachel Moon the study’s lead researcher and professor of pediatrics at Virginia School of Medicine.

Researchers are still working on the link that joins the swaddling and the sleeping on their stomach with SIDS risk.

The team notices some limitations on the study, since the swaddling method was described in different manners across the researched studies.

Source: Pediatrics