Many baby pillows with various types of design and decoration are available at stores and craft shows. These lovely creations are tempting for new parents or someone shopping for a unique baby gift to purchase. Before doing so, the safety of a baby pillow should be considered. Before anyone decides to use a baby pillow in the crib with a small baby, there is some frightening information that should be known.
SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is said to be the leading killer of babies between the ages of one to twelve months in the United States. In the early 90s, based on reports out of Europe and Australia, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a recommendation that babies not be placed on their tummies for sleep. In 1994, the Back To Sleep campaign was initiated as a joint effort by several national agencies and consumer groups. Following this, various studies and surveys were conducted to evaluate the relevance of this change on the occurrence of SIDS. These studies showed the rate of SIDS decreased by 50%, but other related factors were also discovered. In 2005, an AAP task force released a new statement, which included several recommendations. Primarily, the non prone position was changed to a recommendation of a back only position. The statement also recommended that the only items to put in the crib with the baby should be a firm mattress and fitted sheet. A bumper pad, if used, must be firm and snugly fitted. There should be no baby pillow, stuffed toys, etc. in the crib with the infant. To address the findings of increased flat head sydrome, the AAP recommended other preventive measures. Positioning other than on the back or use of a baby pillow were not deemed worth the risk of SIDS by the AAP.
There is a baby pillow on the market, called Baby Sleep Positioner, which includes the recommendations for SIDS prevention in its advertising. Made of foam, the purpose of this baby pillow is to support the head while keeping the baby positioned on the back. The AAP is careful to state it does not endorse any products for use in the crib other than those it lists. If parents are considering the use of the foam baby pillow sleep positioner, checking with their Pediatrician first is probably the safest approach.
January 21st, 2009 at 12:46 pm
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January 28th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Your blog is awesome. Liked your blog a ton.
January 31st, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Love the post. More helpful information.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
We did not waste any time setting up his crib mattress on the floor.
Moving him to a bed presented all these obstacles that we did not have to deal with when we moved our daughter to a bed. Since he was so young, it was not an easy transition. He wasn’t even 2 years old yet. We had to remove most of the things from his room for a couple weeks, so he could not get into trouble.
February 17th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I needed this very information a while ago.
February 28th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
The advice of the experts is based on scientific studies that have borne the result that they may possibly be hazardous to the toddler’s health, say for instance there is always the fear of them contracting a respiratory allergy Exclusive of such facts, nowadays medical practitioners are actually advising on the usage of baby pillows especially when your baby is suffering from a cold, as it elevates their head which allows trouble free breathing.
Mostly the good points of the pillows are ignored. The other side of the picture is being highlighted for your benefit After the birth of a baby a plaint skull is common If the head is continuously kept in a solitary position whilst sleeping, the chances of a malformed or asymmetrical skull increase manifold. Also the continuous sleeping on the back can trigger a depression in the rear of the skull. If a baby pillow is utilized then this condition can be averted as the pillow provides adequate support to the infants head.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
The foam underneath the pillow will mold itself according to the shape of baby’s head which helps the baby relax. Other types of pillows are used for breast feeding. Some pillows are made to fit with the car seat of the toddler.
Visco elastic material is a top quality fabric that is recommended while looking for baby pillows. Furthermore, it is necessary that the clothing material is easily washable and is anti allergic.