Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

The reason that I chose SIDS was because this case hit so close to home. My cousin had a baby boy 7 years old and when he was two months old my cousin put him to sleep for the night not knowing that it would be the last time that she would ever see her baby boy alive. Acoording to research the cause of SIDS is unknown, although there are several theories. Many doctors and researchers now believe that SIDS is not a single condition that is always caused by the same medical problems, but infant death caused by several different factors.
These factors may include problems with sleep arousal or an inability to sense a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood. Almost all SIDS deaths occur without any warning or symptoms when the infant is thought to be sleeping.
SIDS is most likely to occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and 90% occur by 6 months of age. It occurs more often in winter months, with the peak in January. There is also a greater rate of SIDS among Native and African Americans.
The following have been linked to an increased risk of SIDS:

• Babies who sleep on their stomachs
• Babies who are around cigarette smoke while in the womb or after being born
• Babies who sleep in the same bed as their parents
• Babies who have soft bedding in the crib
• Multiple birth babies (being a twin, triplet, etc.)
• Premature babies
• Babies who have a brother or sister who had SIDS
• Mothers who smoke or use illegal drugs
• Teen mothers
• Short time period between pregnancies
• Late or no prenatal care
• Situations of poverty

SIDS affects boys more often than girls. While studies show that babies with the above risk factors are more likely to be affected, the impact or importance of each factor is not well-defined or understood.

References

Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The Changing Concept of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Diagnostic Coding Shifts, Controversies Regarding the Sleeping Environment, and New Variables to Consider in Reducing Risk. Pediatrics. 2005 Nov;116 (5).
Hauck FR, Omojokun OO, Siadaty MS. Do Pacifiers Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2005 Nov;116 (5).
Hunt CE, Hauck FR. Sudden infant death syndrome. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2006 Jun;174(13).

Births in Africa

While doing some research I discovered that woman who give birth in Africa do so in a hot hut with a midwife. They normally are in a fetal position until it is time for the baby to come. The men wait outside the hut with the other men from the village by customs they are not allowed to be in the hut with their wife. Because of the lack of medications women in Africa give birth without drugs and if the midwife needs to cut them to allow more room for the baby to come it is done without medication they also get stitch up without medication. The birth is normally quite and when the baby arrives it is wrap up in a cloth and taken outside to be seen by its father and the village. The mother is not seen by her husband until the next day. As a woman that was raised in the US I could not imagine going through childbirth by myself. The experience along is scary but to know that you are alone in the process with a midwife that you might not even know is crazy. We take for granted the opportunities that we have here in the US, after reading this article I thank God everyday that I live in the states.

My Kids birth

It was an early May morning when my husband and I received the call that I was pregnant. The emotions that overcame our bodies were excitement and fear. We knew that we wanted to be parents but we were scared on how we would raised them, but we knew that as long as we included God in all of our plans that we would be ok. A week later while at our first doctor visit we discovered that I was having twins. Once again fear took over our state of mind but we were not going to allow fear to take over our first emotion which was joy and the fact that we were blessed. My pregnancy had it trials and tribulations, I was placed on bed rest at 4 months and at 6 months I was admitted to the hospital. By this time I was 5 centimeter dilated and I was pump up with drugs to stop the premature birth. Six days later I had to have an emergency c-section due to the fact that my son was under cardiac arrest. I remember the doctor telling me that they could not wait until the drugs took effect they had to go in now if I wanted my son to survive. I remember when they cut me and pulled out my daughter and then a minute later my son. I waited to hear their cry and after what I thought was forever I heard their cry and then they were placed on my chest, at that moment as I looked over at my husband I knew that everything was going to be ok because God was in control. Well its been two years since their birth and I can say that they are on track with full term babies. My husband and I don't get much sleep anymore, they now climb in and out of their beds and into ours but we would not change anything for the world. They keep us on our feet and they amaze us everyday with their talents, my sons walks around the house singing and playing with his drum sets while my daughter loves to dance and practice her MMA fighting with her father. Life couldn't be better.