Storkcraft produces a wide variety of convertible baby cribs that will quickly become the centerpiece of your baby’s nursery. With an assortment of modern non-toxic finishes, Storkcraft baby cribs can coordinate with any nursery décor. A Storkcraft crib could easily be the only bed you will ever need to purchase for your child. All Storkcraft baby cribs provide superior value as they convert to multiple stages and will grow with your child. Some cribs convert directly from a crib into full-size beds, while others convert into daybeds and toddler beds in addition to full-size beds. From simple 2-in-1 convertible cribs to 4-in-1 convertible crib and changing table combinations, you’re bound to find something that you and your baby will love. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that all Storkcraft cribs are JMPA Certified and meet or exceed all CPSC and ASTM safety standards. Browse through our catalogue and click on any of the convertible baby cribs below to find out all of the product features, specifications, assembly instructions, and where they are available for purchase.
Tuscany 4-in-1 Convertible Crib As a best-selling Storkcraft crib, it features a three-position adjustable mattress height and converts to a toddler bed (guard rail included), daybed and full size...Angelcare recalls baby monitors after 2 deathsChat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.Story highlights Sellers of recalled items "are just misinformed"The cord from the sensor pads was pulled into the crib by the infant in both fatalities"The peace of mind you need," reads the box on one of the recalled modelsDeaths occurred in 2004 and 2011"In both fatalities, the cord from the sensor pads was pulled into the crib by the infant," the CPSC said in the announcement posted on its website.The CPSC announced in 2011 that there had been seven reports of strangulation by baby monitor cords since 2002. Since then, the number of deaths has risen to eight.As a designer/owner/parent of an atypical crib, I have always wondered what safety tests standards or tests are used for baby hammocks.
They all seem so squishy soft and slingy, not qualities I'd associate with lowered suffocation or SIDS risk. And whaddya know, last month, the CPSC announced a recall of all Amby Baby Hammocks--around 24,000 have been sold in the US since 2003--after receiving reports of at least two infant deaths. The CPSC warns that, "The side-to-side shifting or tilting of the hammock can cause the infant to roll and become entrapped or wedged against the hammock's fabric and/or mattress pad, resulting in a suffocation hazard." So it's not just a mattress, but the fabric sides that pose a hazard? And don't all hammocks have fabric sides? Or does the Amby Baby have some particularly wide range of "side-to-side shifting or tilting"? Amby's offering a "free repair kit," but what could it solve that taking out the mattress doesn't? Health Canada apparently doesn't see any hope for safely repairing the hammocks; they're calling on consumers to dispose of Ambys to prevent their ever being used again.
Mitchell's marquee supplier told him that the chemicals in awnings and tents were the same chemicals that had been approved for use in baby mattresses. Mitchell also learned from Richardson that these same chemicals could be converted into nerve gas. Mitchell and Richardson decided maybe there was a connection here to SIDS. The research by Richardson began immediately. The three chemicals of concern are phosphorus used in the baby mattress cover, and arsenic and antimony added as preservatives and fire retardants. Richardson has determined that a common household fungus, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, gets established in the mattress from the baby's sweating, spitting up and so on. Once established, the fungus begins to consume these three chemicals in the mattress. This results in the production of three nerve gasses: phosphine, arsine and stibine, all of which can be very deadly, especially to infants. In late 1988 Richardson asked local coroners to cooperate by releasing mattresses on which SIDS babies had died.
He received 200 mattresses of all varieties: foam, plastic, fabric and netted. By June 1989 all mattresses had been tested with the following results: At this time, Richardson analyzed six blood samples of the SIDS babies who died on mattresses with antimony and found high levels of antimony in each sample. In addition, Richardson learned that 95 percent of mattresses tested had been used by a previous baby. Meanwhile, a New Zealand chemist, T.J. Sprott, was questioning the role of chemicals in the baby's environment. He learned of Richardson's research and concurred that nerve gas could also be poisoning babies in New Zealand. He established the guidelines for wrapping mattresses, known as the Cotlife 2000 Specifications. (For additional information, log on to www.cotlife2000.co.nz.) These specifications involved wrapping the baby's mattress with a gas impermeable plastic to keep the gasses from contaminating the sleeping area and, in addition, using cotton bedding. Since 1996, New Zealand has wrapped 100,000 baby mattresses to these specifications.
There have been no reported deaths to date on these wrapped mattresses. SIDS is called the "mystery disease." Understanding the gas theory explains away the mystery by answering all of the following perplexing questions: Q: Why do SIDS babies show no symptoms? A: The lethal dose of nerve gas doesn't make them "ill." It acts by shutting down the nervous system, stopping heart function and breathing. Research has shown neurochemical deficits in SIDS babies that are consistent with poisoning by nerve gas. Q: Why are babies at higher risk after illness or vaccination? A: The fever that results increases the temperature in the crib environment. This stimulates fungus activity and nerve gas production tenfold or more. Q: Why does the rate of crib death rise from one sibling to the next? A: In a reused mattress, fungus established in prior use cause toxic gas generation to commence sooner and in greater volume. Q: Why are babies at higher risk in families where births are close together?
A: Once again, the fungus in the mattress from the previous use will be quickly activated, producing gas sooner. Q: Why are SIDS rates higher in the winter? A: Windows are kept shut, creating poor ventilation around the crib. Gasses are less likely to dissipate. Babies are often bundled in blankets during the winter, trapping gasses close to their bodies. Q: Why are babies sleeping face down at higher risk? A: Stibine gas is formed from the interaction of the S. Brevicaulis fungus and the antimony in the mattress. This gas is very heavy and hangs right on the surface of the mattress. A baby sleeping face down will breathe this gas directly and is more likely to inhale a lethal dose. Q: Why are boy babies at higher risk for SIDS? A: Most boys have a higher metabolic rate than girls, thus their body temperature can be somewhat higher than girls. The rate of gas generation increases rapidly with increasing temperature. Q: Why does SIDS sometimes occur during bed-sharing on an adult mattress?
A: Phosphorus, arsenic or antimony can be found in most mattresses, allowing the generation of the nerve gasses. Adults are not as susceptible to gas poisoning as infants. Q: Why was SIDS rare before 1950? A: Prior to 1950, harmful chemicals were not added to mattresses. It was postwar technology that prompted the common use of phosphorus as a plasticizer, arsenic as a preservative and antimony as a fire retardant. In England and Wales the SIDS statistics from 1953 onward increased in parallel with the increasing concentration of antimony in mattress covers. In addition, prior to 1950 people commonly used soap for baby laundry, whereas now detergent and fabric softeners are commonplace. Detergent contains nitrogen and phosphorus compounds on which the fungus feeds. Q: Why does SIDS generally occur between the ages of 2 months and 1 year? A: It takes time for the fungus in the mattress to flourish and start generating gas. However, younger babies can die if they are sleeping on a mattress that has recently been used by an older sibling and has established, flourishing fungus.
As babies get older, the gas exposure gives them a headache causing them to move around, wake their parents and stand up in their crib. Q: Why is SIDS non-existent in some other countries? A: There used to be virtually no crib deaths in Japan. Japanese traditionally used untreated cotton futons for babies. Recently, Japan has started to adopt Western baby care practices, mattresses, etc., and the crib death rate has begun to rise. SIDS is practically non-existent in Russia, as well. There, it is common place to cover the mattress with rubber sheeting. This rubber is gas impermeable, inhibits fungal growth and is free of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. Q: Why have SIDS rates fallen over the past five years, but are now leveling out? A: Five years ago the Back to Sleep campaign was introduced encouraging parents to position their babies on their backs. This has likely saved many babies from stibine (the gas from antimony) poisoning. As was said earlier, this gas is heavy and hangs right on the surface of the mattress where face-down babies breathe it directly.
However, babies sleeping on their backs are still exposed to the lighter nerve gasses: arsine and phosphine. In a warm environment phosphine can be similar to the density of air, and easily inhaled by a baby sleeping on its back. In addition, face-up sleeping is not as effective in a cot or bassinet with enclosed sides, because the gasses cannot flow away. To prevent these nerve gasses from reaching the baby, New Zealand CotLife2000 Specifications recommend doing all of the following: In addition, contact Sen. Tom Daschle by mail or e-mail: Tom_Daschle@Daschle.Senate.Gov. Send the letter below or write an original requesting legislation be sponsored prohibiting the use of these chemicals in baby mattresses. We can make a difference. Joanne Quinn is a registered medical assistant with a PhD in holistic nutrition. She is the Executive Director of the Educational Learning Strategies Foundation and field advisor for the National Foundation for Alternative Medicine. Editor's Note: Subsequent research has failed to establish the link between baby mattresses and SIDS that this article asserts.