Swaddling May Be Linked to SIDS, New Research Analysis Suggests

An analysis of data from four studies shows there may be a link between swaddling infants in a blanket or cloth and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Researchers considered data from 2,519 infants, which included 760 who died of SIDS. They found that overall, swaddling appeared to increase the risk of SIDS by about one-third, the New York Times reports.

The risk of death differed across different sleep positions: swaddling roughly doubled the risk for infants who slept on their stomachs or sides, and slightly increased the risk for infants sleeping on their backs.

Lead author Anna S. Pease said the study results should be interpreted tentatively, since having only a handful of studies means evidence about swaddling and baby deaths is limited.

[New York Times]