Preconception Health

Preconception health refers to the health of people during their reproductive years, or the years they can have a child. It focuses on taking steps now to protect the health of a baby they might have some time in the future.

All people can benefit from the principles of preconception health, whether or not they plan to have a baby one day. Preconception health is about people getting and staying healthy overall, across their lifespan. In addition, no one expects an unplanned pregnancy. But it happens often. About half of all pregnancies in the United States are not planned.

Preconception Health Care

Preconception health care is the medical care a person receives from their doctor or other health professionals that focuses on the parts of health that have been shown to increase the chance of having a healthy baby.

Preconception health care is different for every person, depending on their unique needs. Based on a person’s health, the doctor or other health care professional will suggest a course of treatment or follow-up care as needed. Ask your healthcare provider about preconception health care, especially if you plan to become pregnant.

Did you know?

There have been important advances in medicine and prenatal care in recent years. Despite these advances, birth outcomes are worse in the United States than in many other developed countries. Many babies are born early or have low birthweight. Among some groups of people, the problems actually are getting worse. Preconception health and preconception health care can make a difference.

Preconception Health for Women

Preconception health is important for every woman―not just those planning a pregnancy. It means taking control and choosing healthy habits. It means living well, being healthy, and feeling good about your life. Preconception health is about planning for the future and taking steps to get there!

Preconception Health for Men

Preconception health is important for men, too. It means choosing to get and stay as healthy as possible―and helping others to do the same as well. As a partner, it means encouraging and supporting your partner’s health. As a father, it means protecting your children. Preconception health is about providing yourself and your loved ones with a bright and healthy future. Taking care of your health now will help to ensure a better quality of life for yourself and your family in the coming years.

Congratulations, you’re pregnant! Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. Knowing that you are doing all you can to stay healthy during pregnancy and give your baby a healthy start in life will help you to have peace of mind.

What Are Steps You Can Take Toward a Healthy Pregnancy?

Folic Acid: Folic acid is a B vitamin that can help prevent major birth defects. Take a vitamin with 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, before and during pregnancy.

Smoking: The best time to quit smoking is before you get pregnant, but quitting at any time during pregnancy can help your baby get a better start on life. Learn more about the dangers of smoking and find help to quit.

Alcohol: A baby can be exposed to the same level of alcohol as the mother during pregnancy. There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy.

Marijuana Use: Marijuana use during pregnancy can be harmful to your baby’s health. The chemicals in marijuana (in particular, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) pass through your system to your baby and can harm your baby’s development.

Vaccinations: Did you know a baby gets disease immunity (protection) from mom during pregnancy? This immunity can protect baby from some diseases during the first few months of life, but immunity decreases over time.

Infections: You won’t always know if you have an infection—sometimes you won’t even feel sick. Learn how to help prevent infections that could harm your developing baby.

HIV: If you are pregnant or are thinking about becoming pregnant, get a test for HIV as soon as possible and encourage your partner to get tested as well. If you have HIV and you are pregnant, there is a lot you can do to keep yourself healthy and not give HIV to your baby.

West Nile Virus: Take steps to reduce your risk for West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne infections.

Diabetes: Poor control of diabetes during pregnancy increases the chance for birth defects and other problems for your baby. It can cause serious complications for you, too.

High Blood Pressure: Existing high blood pressure can increase your risk of problems during pregnancy.

Medications: Taking certain medications during pregnancy might cause serious birth defects for your baby. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you are taking. These include prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary or herbal supplements.

Depression: Depression is common and treatable. If you think you have depression, seek treatment from your health care provider as soon as possible.

Emergencies: Did you know that when you’re pregnant you might need additional supplies or need to protect yourself during an emergency? Public health emergencies can affect access to medical and social services, increase stress, intensify physical work, and expand caregiving duties.

Environmental and Workplace Exposures: There are some common environmental and workplace hazards that could be harmful to pregnant or breastfeeding people, or to household members when carried home on clothes, skin, and shoes. Talk to your doctor or your employer about what you are exposed to at work.

• The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) are a direct link to medical and health professionals. Because environmental factors can impact health of children and reproductive age adults, the PEHSU network has experts in pediatrics, allergy/immunology, neurodevelopment, toxicology, occupational and environmental medicine, nursing, reproductive health and other specialized areas. There are regional specialists across the country to answer your questions.
• The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has many fact sheets about toxic substances (e.g, lead, benzene) if you have concerns about toxic exposures.

Radiation: If you think you might have been exposed to radiation, talk with your doctor.

How Do Genetics and Family History Affect Pregnancy?

Genetics: Understanding genetic factors and genetic disorders is important for learning more about preventing birth defects, developmental disabilities, and other unique conditions in children.

• Family History: Family members share their genes and their environment, lifestyles, and habits. A family history can help identify possible disease risks for you and your baby.

• Genetic Counselor: Your doctor might suggest that you see a genetic counselor if you have a family history of a genetic condition or have had several miscarriages or infant deaths. Top of Page

What Are Other Concerns During Pregnancy?

Bleeding and Clotting Disorders: Bleeding and clotting disorders can cause serious problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage. If you have a bleeding or clotting disorder, talk with your doctor.

Disaster Safety for Expecting and New Parents: Learn general tips to get prepared before a disaster and what to do in case of a disaster to help keep you and your family safe and healthy.

Premature Birth: Important growth and development occur throughout pregnancy – all the way through the final months and weeks. Babies born three or more weeks earlier than their due date have greater risk of serious disability or even death. Learn the warning signs and how to prevent a premature birth.

Travel: If you are planning a trip within the country or internationally, talk to your doctor first. Travel might cause problems during pregnancy. Also, find out about the quality of medical care at your destination and during transit.

Violence and Pregnancy: Violence can lead to injury and death among women in any stage of life, including during pregnancy. Learn more about violence against women, and find out where to get help. 

What Are Other Things to Think About Before the Baby Arrives?

Breastfeeding: You and your baby gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk is easy to digest and has antibodies that can protect your baby from bacterial and viral infections.

Jaundice and Kernicterus: Any baby can get jaundice. Severe jaundice that is not treated can cause brain damage. Your baby should be checked for jaundice in the hospital and again within 48 hours after leaving the hospital. If you think your baby has jaundice, call and visit your baby’s doctor right away.

Newborn Screening: Within 48 hours of your baby’s birth, a sample of blood is taken from a “heel stick,” and the blood is tested for treatable diseases. More than 98% of all children born in the United States are tested for these disorders.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Learn what parents and caregivers can do to help babies sleep safely and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS.

Child Safety Seats: Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. But many of these deaths can be prevented. Always buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts reduces serious and fatal injuries by up to 80%.

First-time mothers-to-be often have lots of questions and even some worries: How will I know I'm in labor? Will it hurt? Will my baby know how to breastfeed? How do I care for a newborn? Classes to prepare you for childbirth, breastfeeding, infant care, and parenting are great ways to lessen anxiety and build confidence. In some cities, classes might be offered in different languages.

Birthing classes

Birthing classes often are offered through local hospitals and birthing centers. Some classes follow a specific method, such as Lamaze or the Bradley method. Others review labor techniques from a variety of methods. You might want to read about the different methods beforehand to see if one appeals more to you than others. That way, you will know what to sign up for if more than one type of birthing class if offered. Try to sign up for a class several months before your due date. Classes sometimes fill up quickly. Also, make sure the instructor is qualified.

Most women attend the class with the person who will provide support during labor, such as a spouse, sister, or good friend. This person is sometimes called the labor coach. During class, the instructor will go over the signs of labor and review the stages of labor. She will talk about positioning for labor and birth, and ways to control pain. She also will give you strategies to work through labor pains and to help you stay relaxed and in control. You will practice many of these strategies in class, so you are ready when the big day arrives. Many classes also provide a tour of the birthing facility.

Breastfeeding classes

Like any new skill, breastfeeding takes knowledge and practice to be successful. Pregnant women who learn about how to breastfeed are more likely to be successful than those who do not. Breastfeeding classes offer pregnant women and their partners the chance to prepare and ask questions before the baby's arrival. Classes may be offered through hospitals, breastfeeding support programs, La Leche League, or local lactation consultants. Ask your doctor for help finding a breastfeeding class in your area.

Parenting classes

Many first-time parents have never cared for a newborn. Hospitals, community education centers, and places of worship sometimes offer baby care classes. These classes cover the basics, such as diapering, feeding, and bathing your newborn. You also will learn these basic skills in the hospital before you are discharged.

In some communities parenting classes are available. Children don't come with how-to manuals. So some parents appreciate learning about the different stages of child development, as well as practical skills for dealing with common issues, such as discipline or parent-child power struggles. Counselors and social workers often teach this type of class. If you are interested in parenting programs, ask your child's doctor for help finding a class in your area.

Whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed is an important choice to think about before you have your baby. Ask your doctor about the benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your baby and who can help you learn how to breastfeed.

If you have a baby boy, you likely will be asked whether you want him to be circumcised. Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, which is the skin that covers the tip of the penis. It's a good idea to think about this before going into labor because it is often offered before a new baby leaves the hospital.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend routine circumcision because the medical benefits do not outweigh the risks. But parents also need to consider their religious, cultural, and personal preferences when making the choice to circumcise their son.

There are medical benefits and risks to circumcision. Possible benefits include:

• A lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Keep in mind that UTIs affect only 1 percent or less of men who are not circumcised.
• A lower risk of penile cancer. Keep in mind that penile cancer is very rare in both men who are or are not circumcised.
• A possible lower risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Keep in mind that practicing safe sex, including using a condom, is the best protection against STIs.

The risks of circumcision include:

• Pain. If you decide to have your baby circumcised, you can ask that a numbing medicine be put on your baby's penis to lessen the pain.
• A low risk of bleeding or infection.

These risks are higher when circumcision is performed on older babies, boys, and men.

Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about the risks or possible benefits.

Right now, your OB or midwife is monitoring the health of your unborn baby. But as soon as your baby enters into this world, your baby will need his or her own doctor. Start looking into a doctor for your baby several months before your due date. Deciding on a doctor and figuring out health insurance before your child's birth saves time and gives you peace of mind as you near labor. Also, if you deliver early, somebody you know and trust will be at the ready to care for your new child.

Choosing a doctor

One of the most important things you need to do before giving birth is decide on a doctor for your baby. Babies need frequent checkups, vaccines, and they sometimes get sick. So don't wait until you need a doctor to make a choice. Doctors that care for babies and children include:

• Pediatricians
• Family physicians

Some nurses with special training also can care for your new baby. They are called pediatric nurse practitioners. Many medical offices have both nurse practitioners and doctors on staff.

To help you choose a doctor for your baby:

• Call your health insurance company for a list of doctors covered under your plan.
• Find out where they trained and how long they've been in practice. Some insurance companies and hospitals have this information. Details on some doctors can be found using DoctorFinder on the American Medical Association website.
• Request an interview with the doctors you like best.
• Find out about their office hours and how they handle concerns and emergencies after office hours.
• Find out who else in the office can see your child if your doctor is out.
• Get recommendations from other patients.

If you deliver at a hospital where your baby's doctor normally sees patients, she will see the baby right after the delivery. If not, a pediatrician on staff at the hospital should see your baby right after the birth. Then you can call your baby's doctor to schedule a visit a few days after birth. Remember to get your baby's medical records before leaving the hospital. Your baby's doctor will need them.

Paying for your baby's health care

To get regular checkups and important vaccines, your baby will need health insurance. Some women have health insurance through an employer or are able to buy it on their own. If you have health insurance, find out how to add your new baby to your policy. You also should find out which doctors will work with your plan and what types of care are covered by your policy. Find out how much you have to pay for visits.

If you're worried about paying for health care, programs for women and children in need can help. The following organizations can help you and your baby get medical care:

• Insure Kids Now! – This program provides children under age 18 with free or low-cost health insurance. It covers doctor visits, prescription medicines, vaccines, dental care, hospitalizations, and more. Each state has its own Insure Kids Now program. Learn about your state's program or make a free call to 877-KIDS-NOW for more information.
• State and local health departments – They can tell you what programs are available in your area. Ask about health insurance, medical care, and how to qualify for this help.
• Local hospital or social service agencies – Ask to speak with a social worker on staff. She will be able to tell you where to go for help.
• Community clinics – Some areas have free clinics or clinics that provide free care to women and children in need.
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program – This government program is available in every state. It provides help with food, nutritional counseling, and access to health services for women, infants, and children.

Your baby is on the way, and there is a lot to think about. Besides making sure that you have baby furniture and clothing for your new son or daughter, you'll want to check that your home is safe. These tips can help you cover all the safety bases.

Before you bring baby home

Before you bring baby home:

• Check the safety of your baby's crib and other baby items. Many new parents welcome hand-me-down baby items from family and friends. Although it's wise to save money, some products could be unsafe if recalled or if parts are missing or loose. Unsafe cribs and other items can put your baby's life in danger. Most brand new cribs and mattresses purchased in the United States are safe. Make sure the crib conforms to the current government safety standards. Also, check to see if hand-me-down items, such as bassinets or portable cribs, have been recalled. Check for recalls and get information on buying a safe crib and mattress at the U.S. Consumer Product Information Safety Commission website. Or call them at 800-638-2772.
• Remove pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals from the crib to prevent your baby from suffocation.
• Check to see that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home are working. Place at least one smoke detector on each level of your home and in halls outside of bedrooms. Have an escape plan in case of fire.
• Put emergency numbers, including poison control, near each phone. Have at least one phone in your home connected by land line. Cordless phones do not work when the power is out, and cellphone batteries can run out.
• Make sure your home or apartment number is easy to see so fire or rescue can locate you quickly in an emergency.
• Make sure handrails are installed and secure in stairways. Always hold the handrail when using stairs, especially when holding your baby.

Before your baby starts crawling

Your baby will be crawling before you know it. Most babies begin crawling around six to nine months. Crawling on your hands and knees will reveal many dangers to your baby. Thinking ahead to the toddler years will help you to take care of other hazards before your baby grows and finds them first. Here are some things to do before your baby is crawling:

• Cover all unused electrical sockets with outlet plugs.
• Keep cords out of baby's reach. Tack up cords to vertical blinds and move furniture, lamps, or electronics to hide cords.
• Secure furniture and electronics, such as bookcases and TVs, so they cannot be pulled down on top of your baby.
• Use protective padding to cover sharp edges and corners, such as from a coffee table or fireplace hearth.
• Install safety gates at the bottom and top of stairwells or to block entry to unsafe rooms.
• Use safety latches on cabinets and doors.
• Store all medicines, cleaning products, and other poisons out of baby's reach.
• Remove rubber tips from doorstops or replace with one-piece doorstops.
• Look for and remove all small objects. Objects that easily can pass through the center of a toilet paper roll might cause choking.
• Keep houseplants out of baby's reach. Some plants can poison or make your baby sick.
• Set your water heater temperature to no higher than 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Water that is hotter can cause bad burns.
• Closely supervise your baby around a family pet. Pets need time to adjust to a new baby.

Before you reach the last few weeks of pregnancy, you should take care of a few last minute to-dos. This way, you won't have any loose ends to deal with when you go into labor. Use this checklist to help you get ready.

• Visit the hospital or birthing center. Make sure you know how to get there, where to park, and where to check in. Find out if you can preregister so that your insurance information will already be in the computer when you arrive.
• Develop a birth plan and discuss it with your doctor or midwife. A birth plan is a tool used to communicate how you want labor and delivery to go. Some things you might want to include in your plan are what support people you want in your labor room, your wishes for managing pain, your desire to hold or nurse your baby right after birth, and concerns you have about any routine policies or procedure at the hospital or birthing center. Write your birth plan out so that you can bring it to the hospital when you go into labor. Find out how to reach your doctor or midwife when you go into labor. And ask her or him at what point in labor should you call.
• Arrange maternity leave with your employer, and discuss who can cover for you during your time off.
• Arrange for a neighbor or family member to take care of your pets or other children while you are in the hospital.
• Talk to family members and friends about what kind of support will be helpful to you when you come home with your newborn. You will need lots of support and help. On the other hand, don't plan for too many out-of-town visitors all at once. Ask family members and friends to be flexible.
• Pack a bag for the hospital. You will want to pack items for yourself and your baby.

After your baby arrives, there’s a lot to think about. Click on the following links to learn more about how to help keep you and your baby healthy and safe, as well as learn about certain birth defects and medical conditions.

Health

Breastfeeding: You and your baby gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk is easy to digest and has antibodies that can protect your baby from bacterial and viral infections.

Proper Handling and Storage of Breast Milk: Safely prepare and store your expressed breast milk to maintain its high quality and keep your baby healthy. Make sure your baby’s caregivers know how to safely prepare and store the breast milk, too.

Breastfeeding and Travel: Travel need not be a reason to stop breastfeeding. A mother traveling with a nursing infant may find breastfeeding makes travel easier than it would be if traveling with a bottle-fed infant. Find helpful tips for traveling while breastfeeding, and learn about vaccinations for international travel.

Postpartum Depression: Postpartum depression is depression that occurs after having a baby. If you think you have postpartum depression, seek treatment from your health care provider as soon as possible.

Jaundice and Kernicterus: Jaundice can sometimes lead to brain damage in newborns. Before leaving the hospital, ask your doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test. If you think your baby has jaundice, call and visit your baby’s doctor right away.

Vaccinations: Vaccines are very important to your baby’s health. When you get vaccinated against whooping cough and the flu during your pregnancy, you will pass some immunity (protection) to your baby.  However, that protection will begin to decrease over time, leaving your infant vulnerable to disease.  Make sure he or she gets vaccinated according to CDC’s childhood immunization schedule for safe, proven disease protection.

Immunization Schedules: Follow the schedule found at this link to be sure your baby gets his or her shots on time. If you miss any, check with your doctor about getting back on track.

Vaccination After Pregnancy: It is safe for a woman to receive vaccines right after giving birth, even while she is breastfeeding. Vaccination after pregnancy is especially important if you did not receive certain vaccines before or during your pregnancy.

Newborn Screening: Within 48 hours of your baby’s birth, a sample of blood is taken from a “heel stick,” and the blood is tested for treatable diseases. More than 98% of all children born in the United States are tested for these disorders.

Some babies with a critical congenital heart defect (CHD) appear healthy at first and may be sent home before their critical CHD is detected. Newborn screening for critical CHDs is a tool that works with prenatal diagnosis and physical exams after birth to improve detection of critical CHDs.

Your baby should be screened for hearing loss before 1 month of age, preferably before leaving the birth hospital. Learn more about newborn hearing screening and what happens if your baby doesn’t pass the screening test.

Safety

Child Medication Safety:  Every year, one out of every 150 two-year-olds is treated in an emergency department for an accidental medication overdose. Find tips for keeping all medications up and away and out of sight of young children.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Learn what parents and caregivers can do to help babies sleep safely and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS.

Child Safety Seats: Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. But many of these deaths can be prevented. Always buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts reduces serious and fatal injuries by up to 80%.

Travel: An estimated 2.4 million children from the United States travel internationally each year. Learn how to travel safely with your baby within the country and internationally.

Fire Safety: Find tips to help prevent injury or death from a fire in your home.

Child Maltreatment: Maltreatment is a serious problem that can have lasting harmful effects on a child’s life. Find some strategies to help prevent child maltreatment.

Development

Child Development: The early years of a child’s life are crucial for learning, social, and emotional development. Learn what you can do to ensure that your child grows up in an environment that meets his or her needs.

Positive Parenting Tips for Babies: Learn how to give your baby a healthy and safe start in the first year of life.

Learn the Signs. Act Early. Measuring your baby’s growth involves more than tracking height and weight. Learn about milestones to watch for in how your baby plays, learns, speaks, and acts.

Medical Conditions

Birth Defects: Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both. About one in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect.

Developmental Disabilities: Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. About one in six children in the U.S. have one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays.

Genetics: If your baby was born with a genetic condition, you may want to work with a genetic counselor in your area to help with information, resources, and support.

Blood Disorders: CDC works to prevent and reduce complications among people with certain blood disorders (bleeding disorders, hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, thrombophilia, and thalassemia).

Taking a newborn care class during your pregnancy can prepare you for the real thing. But feeding and diapering a baby doll isn't quite the same. During your hospital stay, make sure to ask the nurses for help with basic baby care. Don't hesitate to ask the nurse to show you how to do something more than once! Remember, practice makes perfect. Before discharge, make sure you — and your partner — are comfortable with these newborn care basics:

• Handling a newborn, including supporting your baby's neck
• Changing your baby's diaper
• Bathing your baby
• Dressing your baby
• Swaddling your baby
• Feeding and burping your baby
• Cleaning the umbilical cord
• Caring for a healing circumcision
• Using a bulb syringe to clear your baby's nasal passages
• Taking a newborn's temperature
• Tips for soothing your baby

Before leaving the hospital, ask about home visits by a nurse or health care worker. Many new parents appreciate somebody checking in with them and their baby a few days after coming home. If you are breastfeeding, ask whether a lactation consultant can come to your home to provide follow-up support, as well as other resources in your community, such as peer support groups.

Many first-time parents also welcome the help of a family member or friend who has "been there." Having a support person stay with you for a few days can give you the confidence to go at it alone in the weeks ahead. Try to arrange this before delivery.

Your baby's first doctor's visit is another good time to ask about any infant care questions you might have. Ask about reasons to call the doctor. Also ask about what vaccines your baby needs and when. Infants and young children need vaccines because the diseases they protect against can strike at an early age and can be very dangerous in childhood. This includes rare diseases and more common ones, such as the flu.

Since 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also called crib death. SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby under 1 year of age. Even though there is no way to know which babies might die of SIDS, there are some things that you can do to make your baby safer:

• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, even for naps. This is the safest sleep position for a healthy baby to reduce the risk of SIDS.
• Place your baby on a firm mattress, such as in a safety-approved crib. For more information on crib safety, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772. Research has shown that placing a baby to sleep on soft mattresses, sofas, sofa cushions, waterbeds, sheepskins, or other soft surfaces raises the risk of SIDS.
• Remove soft, fluffy, and loose bedding and stuffed toys from your baby's sleep area. Make sure you keep all pillows, quilts, stuffed toys, and other soft items away from your baby's sleep area.
• Do not use infant sleep positioners. Using a positioner to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep is dangerous and not needed.
• Make sure everyone who cares for your baby knows to place your baby on his or her back to sleep and about the dangers of soft bedding. Talk to child care providers, grandparents, babysitters, and all caregivers about SIDS risk. Remember, every sleep time counts.
• Make sure your baby's face and head stay uncovered during sleep. Keep blankets and other coverings away from your baby's mouth and nose. The best way to do this is to dress the baby in sleep clothing so you will not have to use any other covering over the baby. If you do use a blanket or another covering, make sure that the baby's feet are at the bottom of the crib, the blanket is no higher than the baby's chest, and the blanket is tucked in around the bottom of the crib mattress.
• Do not allow smoking around your baby. Don't smoke before or after the birth of your baby and make sure no one smokes around your baby.
• Don't let your baby get too warm during sleep. Keep your baby warm during sleep, but not too warm. Your baby's room should be at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult. Too many layers of clothing or blankets can overheat your baby.

Some mothers worry if the baby rolls over during the night. However, by the time your baby is able to roll over by herself, the risk for SIDS is much lower. During the time of greatest risk, 2 to 4 months of age, most babies are not able to turn over from their backs to their stomachs.