More boys are SIDS victims than girls, but boys in general have a higher infant mortality rate than girls. Place infants to sleep on their backs. Get good prenatal care. Make sure the baby sleeps on a firm mattress or other firm surface and avoid using fluffy blankets or covering, as well as pillows, sheepskins, blankets, or comforters under the baby. Do not allow babies to get too warm.
Overheated infants are more likely to go into a deep sleep from which they are difficult to arouse.
Breast milk can provide protection from some infections that can trigger sudden death in infants. Recent studies suggest that some SIDS babies are born with brain abnormalities that make them more vulnerable to sudden death in infancy. These abnormalities may stem from exposure to toxic substances, such as smoke, or lack of a vital compound such as oxygen prenatally. If you have a nosebleed you should lean forward, not backward.