Parents who know about SIDS may think of it as their worst nightmare. Sudden infant death syndrome is known as SIDS or crib death. It’s when a baby 12 months or younger dies during sleep with no warning signs or a clear reason. Although there is no 100% way to prevent SIDS, there is a lot you can do lower your baby’s risk. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics issued its safe sleep recommendations in 1992 and launched its "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1994, the SIDS rate has dropped more than 60%. In fact, between 1990 and 2013, SIDS rates declined from about 130 deaths per 100,000 infants to about 40 deaths per 100,000. Your baby’s risk of SIDS is much higher any time he sleeps on his side or stomach. (A baby placed on his side can roll over on his stomach.) These positions put your baby’s face in the mattress or sleeping area, which can smother him. So, every time you put your baby in his bed to sleep -- for naps, at night, or any time -- lay him down on his back.
Tell anyone who takes care of your baby how essential it is to lay your sleeping baby on his back each time. That includes grandparents, babysitters and childcare providers, older siblings, and others. They may think one time won’t matter, but it can. When a baby who usually sleeps on his back is suddenly laid on his stomach to sleep, the risk of SIDS is much higher. If you’re worried your baby might choke while sleeping on his back, don't be. Choking is very rare, and healthy babies tend to swallow or cough up fluids automatically. If you’re concerned, ask your pediatrician about elevating the head of your baby's bed. Once your baby can roll over both ways, which usually happens around 6 months, he may not stay on his back. It’s fine to let him choose his own sleep position once he knows how to roll over. Ships from and sold by I Love Best Day Ever. Selection for all your Nursery Room needs; from changing tables to cribs, night lights, decor and more. Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams White Crib Mattress FREE Shipping.
DetailsSummer Infant Contoured Changing Pad, White FREE Shipping on orders over . Serendipity TOXIN SHIELD is a crib mattress cover designed as an impermeable layer to prevent toxic gasses, allergens and other hazardous chemicals coming from your crib mattress from reaching your baby's sleep environment. What makes Serendipity different from other mattress covers? * Unlike typical mattress covers, the Serendipity cover blocks toxic gasses, hazardous chemicals, and allergens in your babies’ mattress. * The Serendipity Mattress Cover is made from an engineered pure polymer that contains no additives to leach into your babies sleeping environment. Vinyl and other types of plastic covers contain hazardous chemicals like fire retardants, plasticizers, Phthalates and biocides that can leach out of the cover creating a hazardous environment for your baby. * Best Day Ever, the maker of the Serendipity Mattress Cover works with the non-profit No More SIDS Foundation to get mattresses covered at day care centers around the country.
Best Day Ever donates one Serendipity Mattress Cover to No More SIDS Foundation for every cover it sells. No More SIDS estimates more than 700,000 mattresses covered without a single SIDS death reported. Product Dimensions74 x 26.5 x 6 inches Item model numberCrib Mattress, Size 1 Safety warningProper Mattress Cover Installation Protocol: 1. Make sure the mattress is clean and dry before installation. If necessary, clean with a mild soap and water. Do not use cleaners containing chemical bleaches or sterilizing agents. 2. Place cover on a flat surface with the instructions face up. Slide the mattress in the cover through the slit running the length of the cover. 3. Center the mattress in the cover. Peel off the adhesive strips at each end and carefully fold ends up to adhere them to the cover. Keep the cover tight against the mattress. 4. Turn the mattress over and place in the crib. Make sure the printed side of the cover and the ventilation slit are face down.
Choose Proper Bedding Materials: 1. Use a 100% cotton blanket on top of the covered mattress. 2. On top of the cotton blanket, place a 100% cotton fitted sheet and a 100% cotton over-blanket. 3. Do not use the following bedding items: Sheepskin or any product containing sheep fleece. Waterproof or moisture resistant mattress pads or protectors. Any blanket or other swaddling product containing acrylic or polyester. Sleeping bags, duvets, quilts, pillows or cushions. Material TypeLatex Free, Phthalate Free, BPA Free, Lead Free Care instructionsClean with damp cloth and dry. Do not use: detergent, bleach, chlorine or chemical cleaners. #46,210 in Baby (See top 100) Shipping Weight8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) 5 star59%4 star19%3 star8%2 star8%1 star6%See all verified purchase reviewsTop Customer ReviewsInexpensive for peace of mindTop baby must have item!so it is a bit more "bunched up" than I like. I haven't noticed much of a plastic sound ...
Safety firstGives you peace of mindCheaply made, adhesive doesn't work.I recommend... with a little extra tape to make it fit better. We put a sheet on top Harlow's Earth Crib Mattress Cover, Clear - Waterproof 2-pak Serendipity TOXIN SHIELD Crib Mattress Cover (for Parents Concerned about SIDS, Autism, Asthma & Allergies) Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad, White Queen Size SafeRest Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector - Vinyl Free You are hereHome / Baby / Safety Safe-Sleep AlertBabiesHealthSIDSNew Ways to Reduce the Risk of SIDSNew Ways to Reduce the Risk of SIDS It's not enough to simply put your baby to sleep on her back. There are other lifesaving safety steps you may be missing. Find out in this exclusive Parents report. Facebook Pinterest Twitter Google Plus Text EmailComments Add a commentSudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), or crib death, is the unexpected death of an infant which is not explained by any known cause in the baby s health or in its
It is the leading cause of death in infants from one to six months of age. begins at about two weeks after birth, then declines after a peak in the third month when the baby s immunity acquired from the mother tapers off, and is rare after one year. about 1 million infant deaths have been attributed to SIDS. SIDS deaths were quite rare before thatIt occurs almost exclusively in Europe, Australia/New Zealand and the United States. United States alone continues to have over 3,000 SIDS deaths each year. Many ideas have been proposed to explain SIDS, but none has been comprehensive or convincing until the theory presented by Barry Richardson, a British expert inHis theory was validated by the research of Dr. T. James Sprott, a New Zealand chemist and forensic scientist. Their research demonstrates that SIDS is the result of accidental poisoning due to toxic gases released from baby mattresses. These gases are produced by the interaction of common
household fungi with phosphorus, arsenic and antimony, chemicals which are either present naturally in the mattresses or which have been added as flame retardant chemicals. The fungi are harmless by themselves but feed on these chemicals. are the gases phosphine (PH3), arsine (AsH3) and stibine (SbH3). These nearly odorless gases breathed even in small quantities for an extended time can interrupt the choline/acetylcholine transfer of nervous impulses from the brain to the heart and lungs. This shuts down the centralheart function and breathing stop. The gases are heavier than air, and about 1,000 times more poisonous than carbon monoxide. A baby sleeping on its stomach is in the zone above the mattress where the gases are most dense. Repeated exposure to these gases, especially in combination with other insults to a baby s immune systems, can result in toxic overload and There has been no research to date which has disproved this theory or offered a
Research in 1994 by Richardson showed high levels of antimony in livers of SIDS babies. Antimony is not normally present in a healthy baby, and does not show up in autopsies of babies who slept on mattresses free of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. This means that SIDS is an environmental problem, not a medical one. Areas of the world where mattresses containing these chemicals are used have a much higher incidence of SIDS. Areas in the world where fungus is ubiquitous, such as in Japan, Hong Kong and the Pacific Islands, but where mattresses do not contain these chemicals do not have a problem with SIDS. Fungal growth is sped up when moisture from the baby s body such as perspiration, urine, drool, etc. penetrates the bedding and provides a growth medium for theGrowth is also sped up by increased body heat, especially if a baby has a temperature from tightly wrapped covers, higher room temperature, infection in a compromised immune system, and/or a
Boy babies with their increased metabolism have a 30 percent higher incidence of SIDS than girl babies. British researcher Peter Mitchell showed that babies later in the birth order have a higher incidence of SIDS deaths because over time, repeated use of the same mattress increases the amount of fungal spores present. The risk doubles with each child. families have more SIDS deaths because they are more likely to reuse bedding rather than buy new bedding for each child. Children of poor single mothers are at seven times the risk for SIDS. The Richardson theory was first made public in Britain in 1989. campaigns in both Britain and New Zealand have significantly reduced SIDS deaths. Britain withdrew the use of toxic chemicals in their products. This was coupled with a campaign to have all babies sleep on their backs. Unfortunately there is resistance from researchers and health authorities in these countries and the United States which prevents information campaigns from
being as effective as they might be. Authorities seeking to avoid possible lawsuits may try to It is important to protect infants from exposure to these gases. heavier-than-air gases drift towards the floor, so babies are somewhat protected by sleeping onPhosphine is only slightly heavier than air though, so it poses a hazard to babies inAfter the age of five months a baby can turn itself over and once again receiveIt is ideal to protect babies from all contact with these gases. mattress with a barrier to exposure is the alternative if chemical-free bedding isn'tDr. Sprott developed a mattress cover as well as protocols for using polyethylene (called polythene in other parts of the world) or rubber sheeting to safely wrapThe directions as given by Dr. Sprott are: 1. Mattresses (including sheepskins) should be wrapped with a thick, natural-color (not black) polyethylene sheeting or surgical rubber sheeting. for this purpose is available through most garden centers.
Don t use PVC (polyvinyl chloride) as it frequently contains phosphorus and antimony compounds. 2. Place the polyethylene or rubber over the top of the mattress and down the ends and sides, and then secure it firmly beneath the mattress with strong adhesive tape [that doesn t give off fumes itself]. 3. The polyethylene or rubber on the underside of the mattress should notIt must be airtight on the top and sides of the mattress. 4. The best under-blanket for use on a wrapped mattress is fleecy 5. The advice to wrap mattresses applies to every mattress on which a baby is put down to sleep, including adults mattresses, mattresses of other children and all mattresses made of or covered with natural products such as sheep fleeces, goat skins, kapok, tree bark, coconut fiber, etc. 6. Proprietary mattress covers should not be used unless they have been shown by chemical analysis to be free from the elements in question. 7. Babies should never by put down to sleep on the mattress of another
baby or older child unless the mattress is wrapped. A baby is at risk in any place where these toxic gases exist. materials in strollers as well, as quilts can contain antimony and phosphorus and are seldomIt is also recommended to have ample ventilation wherever a baby is sleeping. in cribs can be placed around the upper part and partway down the sides of the crib, but not all the way around, so that gases can sink down to the floor. Reduced Death is Good Evidence Since the late 1950s New Zealand had possibly the highest incidence of SIDS inThe mattress-wrapping campaign promoted in New Zealand since 1994 by Dr. Sprott, midwives and other health care professionals for SIDS prevention has had a success rate of 100 percent among the over 100,000 of those who have used it. There have been no SIDS deaths reported in families using the wrapped mattresses. From 1994 to 1997 the nationwide rate fell from 2.1/1000 live births to 1.4/1000, a reduction of 33 percent.
The Caucasian community within New Zealand, having more widely adopted this practice, had a SIDS rate reduction of over 60 percent. deaths within this period were on non-wrapped beds. There were no other changes in public approach to the SIDS problem. Do Vaccinations Play a Role? There is research by other physicians which links SIDS fatalities toDr. Sprott makes the case that vaccinations are a contributing factor only and notReaction to vaccinations can cause a spike in the baby s temperature, whichHigher body heat activates the growth of fungus in the mattress, which feeds more on the phosphorus, arsenic and antimony and produces more toxic gases. greatly reduced threat if a baby who has just been vaccinated sleeps on a wrapped bed. SIDS has also been attributed to other factors. Dr.Sprott makes it clear that while these have other effects on infant health, they do not either prevent or cause SIDS. feeding, important to health in other ways, will not override toxic effects of harmful gases.