What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and are there any precautions I can take to protect my baby?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is unexpected, sudden death of an infant below the age of one year that can occur during sleep.  It is devastating, but thankfully rare, and there are steps to protect children including placing a child to sleep on his or her back, breast feeding, using a pacifier, and not letting the child sleep with fluffy toys or blankets. Also avoid smoking – SIDS has been linked to smoking during pregnancy and exposure to second-hand smoke.