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Cot death (SIDS, crib death) is not a medical matter. It is caused by poisonous gases generated in the baby's sleeping environment.

The gases concerned are phosphines, arsines and stibines, which are all extremely toxic nerve gases.

The gases are produced in a baby's cot (or other sleeping environment) by the action of common household fungus on compounds of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony present in the mattress and in certain other bedding. The danger of cot death increases as a mattress is re-used from one baby to the next.

Babies can be protected from this gaseous poisoning by enclosing mattresses in a gas-impermeable cover which is itself not capable of the gas generation concerned, and using on top of the wrapped mattress specified bedding which is also not capable of that gas generation. 

Breastfeeding does not prevent cot death.

Smoking does not cause cot death.

Sleeping a baby with feet to the foot of the cot does not prevent cot death.

Face-up sleeping is only a partial preventive against cot death.  Many babies have died sleeping face-up on unwrapped mattresses.

Cot death is not a syndrome. The term "SIDS" (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a misnomer.

The physiological effect of the toxic gases which cause cot death is to de-activate a certain vital enzyme in the body (the cholinesterase enzyme). As the gas is ingested into the baby's body (by breathing in and/or absorption through the skin), more and more of the enzyme is de-activated, until eventually there is insufficient enzyme left to support life. The function of the cholinesterase enzyme is to ensure that nerve impulses from the brain are transmitted to the various parts of the body which act upon the impulses. If sufficient gas is ingested, the nerve impulses "telling" the lungs to breathe don't reach the lungs and the baby stops breathing. Shortly after this occurs, heart function ceases, and death follows very soon afterwards.