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Questions and Answer

Q. I have heard many contradicting stances on how a newborn should sleep. My daughter is 2 1/2 now, and when she was an infant, all I heard was "back to sleep" to prevent SIDS. Now I am due any minute with my son and I have heard many differing opinions on this, side, back, or whatever.

Thank you very much, my son and I will both sleep better knowing this answer.

Leanne

A. "Back to Sleep" seems to be the way to go. The July 1998 issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) has three articles reporting studies that prove that "Back to Sleep" decreases the incidence of SIDS. Hope this helps and best wishes on the birth of your new one.

Ilana Stein has been working professionally with pregnant women since 1983 as a childbirth educator, labor assistant and breastfeeding consultant. She was originally certified by the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth (The Bradley Method), The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE), and Doulas of North America (DONA). She teachs the ALACE Labor Assistant training workshop nationwide. She has spoken at conferences and at the New York University Graduate Program in Midwifery about labor support. She is a Positive Pregnancy and Parenting Fitness (PPPF) instructor and La Leche League Leader. She is also a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor at the local YMCA. She volunteers as the coordinator of the annual New York Area YM-YWCA Women’s Wellness Weekend.