Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also know as Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), is when a baby under the age of one year dies suddenly and unexpectedly. 

Your baby will be taken to hospital if they are not there already, and a doctor or other health professional will formally confirm that they have died. If the cause of death if not known, they must inform the Coroner (or the Procurator Fiscal, in Scotland). 

The Coroner or Procurator Fiscal is responsible for trying to find out why your baby has died. They will carry out a post-mortem examination to try and find the cause of death. The Coroner does not need your permission for this but should explain the process to you. Specialist staff are needed to carry out a post-mortem, and so it is possible that this will happen some distance from where you live. 

Many parents find it difficult to be separate from their baby while a post-mortem is taking place. Please be assured that the professionals who are looking after your baby will treat them with the greatest care and respect. You should be kept informed about what is happening and given a key contact so that you can ask whatever questions you need.

The police will also be involved in investigation why a baby has died. This is a legal requirement after a sudden death at any agree, not only the death of a baby or child. This can be particularly distressing for parents even if police officers are working as sensitively as possible. When there is police involvement, they should also provide you with a key contact. 

Understanding why your baby has died

The Coroner or Procurator Fiscal will receive any initial results from a post-mortem, although it can take months for the final report to be completed. The post-mortem results may help the Coroner or Procurator Fiscal decide whether to open an investigation or an inquest, which is a fact-finding formal inquiry to confirm who has died, the circumstances of the death and decide if a cause of death can be found. 

You should be able to have a copy of the final post-mortem report, but you may find it helpful to ask a paediatrician (doctor who has special training in looking after children) to explain the report to you because it will be written in medical terminology which may be confusing to a person without specialist knowledge. 

You may find it helpful to read the more detailed information we have put together about post-mortem examinations and understanding why your baby has die. 

When can I arrange my baby's funeral?

You should be able to start planning your baby's funeral as soon as the initial post-mortem examination has been completed and you have been issued with a Death Certificate. You do not need to wait for the full post-mortem results. The post-mortem should take place as soon as possible after your baby has died, but if you need to arrange the funeral quickly for religious reasons, you should talk to the hospital staff and the staff in the Coroner or Procurator Fiscal's office. You should be given contact details so that you can get in touch with them. 

Worries and anxiety about other children

The unexpected nature of SIDS can increase anxiety if you have other children or go on to have other children. This is a normal response. The Lullaby Trust provides information about reducing the risks of SIDS. They also offer specific support for parents who have another baby after SIDS, which may help give reassurance and reduce anxiety.

Useful links and organisations

• The Lullaby Trust