by Joanne Lewsley|
Medically reviewedbyZoe Ralph, Specialist health visitor|
No. It's true that certain respiratory infections and bacteria may play a role in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death. But there’s no evidence to suggest that you should stop kissing your baby or stop friends and family from kissing her.
Put simply, your baby will not be at an increased risk of SIDS from a kiss. What may increase the risk of SIDS however, is how your baby’s immune system responds to infections.
All babies are exposed to viruses and bacteria in the air that they breathe, from surfaces in their homes and from the people who care for them. That's part of normal life. Most babies are able to fight infection from these everyday exposures, with what’s called a balanced inflammatory response.
It's thought that the inflammatory response of babies who are vulnerable to SIDS is either too weak or too strong. Even a mild infection could cause a problem for these babies.
Other factors, such as the way your baby is put down to sleep or your home environment may increase the risk. For example, putting your baby down to sleep on her front may make her hotter and provide a more favourable breeding ground for some bacteria in her throat. Cigarette smoke can increase the number of coughs and colds your baby is exposed to and make an infection more likely to take hold.
With this in mind, it's a good idea to take some simple and sensible precautions to protect your baby from infections. This includes:
- Washing your hands regularly before handling your baby, particularly if you've been out and about meeting other people.
- Cleaning your baby's dummy by sterilising it, as you would for a bottle teat. Avoid putting the dummy in your own mouth to hold or clean it before giving it to your baby.
- Don’t let anyone kiss your baby while they have an active cold sore, even if there is just the tingle of a sore starting.
In the meantime, to reduce the risk of SIDS, carry on taking precautions to help protect your baby:
- Place your baby on her back to sleep.
- Never fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby.
- Don’t smoke in pregnancy and keep your home smoke-free before and after your baby’s born.
- Don’t put too many clothes on your baby at bedtime, as it could make her too hot.
- Keep her head uncovered when she's asleep and place her with her feet to the foot of the cot to stop her wriggling under covers.
- Breastfeed your baby if you can, as breastmilk can reduce her risk of infection and boost her immune response. If you formula-feed your baby, don’t worry. Formula-feeding does not cause SIDS. But breastfeeding has been proved to lower the risk of SIDS happening to your baby.
If your baby is unwell, always see your doctor, and take her for regular check-ups.
Learn more about reducing the risk of SIDS.
Joanne Lewsley is a freelance copywriter and editor, and specialises in creating evidence-based parenting, health and lifestyle web content.
