Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), or cot death, is every parent's nightmare. In this extract from our archives, parenting expert and child psychologist Dr Pat Spungin, CEO of Raisingkids.co.uk, recommends key steps to reduce the risk.

Raisingkids member's problem
Whenever I put my little girl (6 weeks old) down to sleep, I find that I want to keep checking her every few minutes to make sure she's still breathing. Last year my neighbour lost her son to cot death, and I just can't get the worry out of my head that the same thing could happen to me. Please help.

Dr Spungin's advice
Becoming a parent for the first time always brings new anxieties. No matter how confident and laid-back they appear on the surface, all new mums and dads have to deal with a whole range of new worries - you're definitely not the only one to have these concerns.

Although your neighbour's tragic loss has probably made you even more aware of the risk of Cot Death (or SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) try to bear in mind that it's rare. In the UK, approximately 365 babies die from SIDS every year. Of course, this is still 365 deaths too many but you might take some reassurance from the fact that the number of cot deaths in the UK has fallen by nearly 70% since the introduction of the 'Reduce the Risk' campaign in 1991.

You can also take a few practical steps to reassure yourself that you are doing everything you possibly can to help your baby sleep safely. The Foundation For The Study Of Infant Deaths (Registered charity no: 262191) has 9 key steps parents and carers should take to reduce the risk of SIDS:

• Cut smoking in pregnancy - fathers too!
• Do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby
• Place your baby on the back to sleep - this has been proven reduce the risk of cot death (side sleeping is not as safe as sleeping on the back). Placed on her back, a healthy baby is not more likely to choke. If you find your baby on her front before she's 5-6 months old, gently turn her over but don't feel you should be checking for this constantly through the night. At 5-6 months, the risk of SIDS falls rapidly. At this age, it's normal for babies to roll over and they should not be prevented from doing so, but still put your baby on her back to sleep.
• Do not let your baby get too hot
• Keep baby’s head uncovered - place your baby with their feet to the foot of the cot, to prevent wriggling down under the covers
• If your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly
• The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in your room for the first six months
• Do not share a bed with your baby if you or your partner:
  * are smokers (no matter where or when you smoke)
  * have been drinking alcohol
  * take medication or drugs that make you drowsy
  * feel very tired.
• Never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair
  
  There is also a risk that you might roll over in your sleep and suffocate your baby, or that your baby could get caught between the wall and the bed, or could roll out of an adult bed and be injured.

These are just the key guidelines, but you can find much more information on the dedicated websites listed below. If you still feel anxious, you could also call the SIDS helpline on 020 7233 2090, and talk through your concerns with a trained counsellor.

• Ask Our Parenting Expert: More Babies Answers
• The Cot Death Society www.cotdeathsociety.org.uk
• Foundation For The Study of Infant Deaths www.sids.org.uk
  
  
• NFSID recommends that all parents learn how to resuscitate a baby. For information on resuscitation training courses, contact St John's Ambulance (www.sja.org.uk) or your local Red Cross, or ask at your local hospital.