Anne,

I share your frustration with "offical" groups not mentioning the protective
benefits of breastfeeding-- especially given the AAP's statement.

I can't understand a SIDS center refusing to mention the (possible, if they
want) protective effects of breastfeeding. If a parent hadn't known about
this, wouldn't they want to? I would think that most parents who have had a
baby die from SIDS would want to know about this for future reference--
along with other protective factors (supine sleep position) and risk factors
(listed below).

Just like we would not mention to a parent of a baby who died of SIDS that
the parent's tobacco habit might have contributed, I don't think that we
would, in this situation, remind the parent of the risk of ABM. What is
done, is done. This would not prevent me from mentioning to the family, at a
later date when they were expecting another baby, that breastfeeding might
be protective. Just as I would encourage them to have the new baby sleep on
her/his back, and to please consider stopping smoking.

Regarding SIDS, I don't believe that anyone has discovered the "cause." We
do know that certain things are risk factors. These include low birth
weight, prematurity, shorter interpregnancy interval, maternal opiate drug
use, maternal smoking during pregnancy, parental smoking in the postnatal
period, and prone sleeping position. These are factors associated with a
higher risk for SIDS-- most infants in these situations do not die from SIDS.

Although having babies sleep on their backs has significantly decreased the
SIDS rates in the US, no-one has said that sleeping on the tummy will cause
SIDS. Just that there is a relationship. In this vein, I certainly think
that it is more than reasonable for health care professionals to tell
parents that there is a relationship between SIDS and breastfeeding (a
protective one, of course).

Mari Douma, DO