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‘Teen Mom OG’ Star Amber Portwood Opens Up About Her Infant Sister’s Untimely Death From SIDS

Reality TV

Jan 2, 2019 10:04 pm·

By Samantha Benitz

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She’s opening up about a painful experience. Amber Portwood made a heartbreaking confession during a scene from the Teen Mom OG: Unseen Moments special, revealing that her baby sister died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, aka SIDS, more than two decades ago. The reality star discussed how the tragedy left a lasting impact on her. Scroll through the gallery for details.

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Amber Portwood Opens up About Her Sisters Death From SIDS

Not Taking Any Chances

The conversation about her sister started when Amber explained why she wanted to be the one to care for her 7-month-old son, who she shares with boyfriend Andrew Glennon.

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Family First

Even though she was “running on empty” while filming at that time, Amber said she preferred to watch James instead of putting the responsibility in someone else’s hands.

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Rest In Peace

“The thing is, my sister died from SIDS when I was 5,” the 28-year-old admitted. “She was an infant just like him. And it’s really scary for us. And I just feel like I want to be the one watching him.”

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Gone, But Never Forgotten

The devastating loss of her sibling was extremely difficult for her to process. “It was hard,” Amber explained. “I remember watching them bringing her out on a stretcher.”

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Leaving A Lasting Impact

The MTV star even said, “It’s one of the worst things that I’ve ever really seen in my life.” SIDS is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old, according to Mayo Clinic.

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Mama Bear Mode

Amber says her sister’s untimely passing made her more cautious with her own kids.

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Taking Precautions

“It’s just like with Leah, you know, when she had the sleep apnea, me and [ex-boyfriend] Gary brought her straight into the hospital to get the testing done because we were so scared about it,” Amber said.

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Staying Strong

Amber concluded, “So it’s not a bad thing to get help when you’re tired and you need sleep, but it means a little bit more to me than what people know.” Be sure to join our Teen Mom Facebook group to chat about all the latest updates!