Are There Risks Involved With Using A Baby Pillow
05/03/09
If you check the baby section of any large department store or browse through craft fairs, you will likely see many varieties of baby pillows: some soft, some lacey, those with hand embroidered detail, etc. 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 (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the leading cause of death in the United States for infants one month to one year of age. 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. As a result of the recommendation from the AAP, the Back To Sleep initiative was started in 1994 through the leadership of several national agencies. Several studies were performed to evaluate the effect of the Back To Sleep program on the incidence of SIDS. While the incidence of SIDS related deaths had decreased by half, other findings were also identified by the studies. A task force formed by the AAP issued a new statement in 2005 to include recommendations on all the new findings. 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. If a bumper pad is used it must not be a loose, fluffy type. There should be no baby pillow, stuffed toys, etc. in the crib with the infant. In response to increased incidence of flat head syndrome, alternate methods of prevention were advised. Positioning other than on the back or use of a baby pillow were not deemed worth the risk of SIDS by the AAP.
The baby pillow, Baby Sleep Positioner is marketed with acknowledgments of the recommendations made by the AAP. The baby pillow sleep positioner is made of memory foam and keeps the infant in the recommended position, while cushioning the back of the head. The statement released by the AAP is clear that it does not endorse any specific commercial products. Prior to using the baby pillow sleep positioner, parents should first seek the advice of their Pediatrician to be safe.
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