In a year more than 6000 babies died due to sudden infant death syndrome(SIDS), among this more than 900 babies died due to sleeping on soft crib bedding sets. That brings to mind the question, is your baby bedding safe?
When you place the baby on her belly, her head may sink into the mattress and cause suffocation if the bedding is too soft. You may think a soft mattress is more comfortable for your little one, but if it is too soft, it may not be safe. Infants should be supervised at all times and be given the best care to avoid deadly accidents. For example, special care should be taken when placing an infant a crib with a soft mattress so that suffocation does not occur.
parents can select a baby nursery bedding with a firm mattress that does not get depressed easily when some weight is being applied on it in order to avoid accidents. By applying force to a certain mattress one can actually feel it resisting the weight and it’s actually one way of discovering the mattress strength. A mattress with the strongest resistance is is best.
The crib is where babies should be safe, but too many times parents do not realize the danger they are in when they are in their cribs. Bumper pads are carelessly added in the crib without thinking that they may suffocate a baby if it will totally cover a baby’s face.
Parents should have care and precaution because infants are vulnerable and weak during this period. Although there are still some that say bumper pads are okay if you buy the firmer ones, the majority opinion is to remove them completely. There have been reports of suffocation with the baby pressed between the bumbers and another object in the crib, and also of strangulation by the strings of the bumper pads.
In addition, recent research has revealed that there are toxic gases in mattresses that can be detrimental to your baby’s development. Hazardous chemical, fire retardant compounds (phosphorous and arsenic) have been found in mattresses. The chemical compounds present in the mattress when reacts with certain material, then they release toxic gases which is very dangerous for the baby, if the baby inhales a large amount of it while sleeping.
Scientists have since found, however, that a frequently occurring fungus in baby bedding may be one of the reactants which is an aid in releasing these toxic fumes. Because of that, they suggest that mom and dads not use any older style bedding in the baby’s room that could have mold and/or mildew on it from being used prior. Because infants only sleep in cribs for a short period of time, parents may be tempted to reuse old bedding. However, to avoid the existence of such fungus, this should not be the case. Buying a new set of nursery bedding adds a fresh look to the baby’s room.
In addition, there is some concern about synthetic fabric in baby bedding sets. While there is no solid proof that synthetic fabrics are harmful to a baby, you may want to stick to natural fibers. There are plenty of stylish cotton baby bedding sets available (one of my favorites is the Maya baby bedding by Trend Lab), so there is no need to sacrifice style for safety.
Use this criteria to determine if your baby bedding is safe. If not, purchase a new, safe bedding option so that your baby can sleep safely and you can sleep without worries.