Is Your Baby Bedding Set Safe?
Posted by Babies - 08/06/09 at 10:06 amReports say that at least 15 % of the over 6000 deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) are caused by infants sleeping on soft crib bedding. That brings to mind the question, is your baby bedding safe?
Suffocation can occur with the use of soft baby bedding, particularly when baby is on her belly and her head depresses the mattress. Plush mattresses provide maximum comfort for babies but are a safety threat as well. Fatal accidents may occur when a baby’s head is placed on a soft mattress. Infants are often too week to roll over if they get into a dangerous position.
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. The more resistant a mattress, the safer it is.
Bumper pads in baby cribs pose a threat of suffocation. There is no doubt that the colors and designs are attractive but many recommend removing them from the crib as an infant who falls asleep with their tiny mouth up against the padding will have their movement and breathing restricted and can potentially suffocate.
Parents need to use extra care and take precautions during this period since the infants are weak and vulnerable. When babies are pressed between the bumper pads and another object and some of the people recommend to buy firmer bumper pads while others just remove all of them from the crib and the latter being the best method because, though rare, there are also cases of strangulation by the strings of the bumper pads and suffocation.
In addition, recent research has revealed that there are toxic gases in mattresses that can be detrimental to your baby’s development. Chemical compounds such as phosphouous and arsenic are being added to mattresses. They are used as fire retardants but can be very dangerous. Babies may die while sleeping as a result of inhaling hazardous chemicals that have reacted with other chemicals found in mattresses.
Scientists later discovered that one of the reactants, helping to release the poisonous gas, is a fungus that commonly grows in baby bedding. Do note use nursery bedding which may contain fungus. This may happen if the bedding has been used for a long time. To insure that no fungus is present, parents should be sure to buy new bedding for each new infant. 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 crib 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.
Taking into account all these different things, moms and dads should be able to decide if the baby’s bedding is safe. To avoid sleepless nights, parents should just choose safe beddings for their babies, it will not only relieve them of their worries but will also let the baby enjoy his/her slumber.
