Crib safety... sigh. It is one of those things I am so very anal about with my own home, but see many people forget their common sense when addressing it. Or just not addressing it at all.
I will start by listing the only items you need in your infants crib:
1. A firm crib mattress with no cracks in it. Cracks in the crib mattress can and will harbor all
sorts of bacteria that you do not want growing and infecting your child.
2. A crib sheet. It doesn't have to be waterproof but it is always helpful. Make sure it is fitted and the correct size. You should keep 3 or 4 of these on hand so you can wash dirty ones and have a replacement handy.
That's it. Seriously. I know you think I am crazy but that is it. Notice the lack of toys, stuffed animals, and frilly stuff listed. Also take notice that your infant is not feeling neglected because they do not have a blanket to pull on top of their heads or a crib bumper to lodge themselves in.
Crib bumpers were initially invented because of the lack of regulation around crib manufacturing. It used to be that children could actually get their heads stuck in between the crib slats and hang themselves, for lack of a better term. These days you cannot fit a soda can in between the slats, much less an entire head. If you can, that means your crib is far outdated. Crib bumpers actually served a purpose back then. Now-a-days they are nothing but suffocation hazards. Here is why:
Infants do not have the cognitive skills to process the thought "Hey, I can't breath. This crib bumper is suffocating me. I should probably move my head now." Infants run on reflex and instinct for the most part. Especially young infants. Part of their reflex and instinct is learning to move their body in search of pretty things... like crib bumpers. They are not in control of their body, but almost flailing about until they gain more motor control. Unfortunately, they cannot move around with much purpose or direction - say, out of the crib bumper when they get stuck and can't breath. They can, however, accidentally roll themselves INTO the crib bumper. And theoretically they could accidentally roll out of it, as well. But are you going to trust theory and accidents over your own common sense? Hopefully not.
It has been suggested to me that crib bumpers are safe because that they prevent your child from hitting their head on the slats. I can agree on some level that it would cushion a bump - however, these people fail to take into consideration simple physics. If your infant is at a developmental stage where that can indeed roll, or even move, at a speed with enough force to actually hit their head hard enough to do more damage than suffocation (which is the idea that you are defending), then your infant is probably old enough to be able to remove their lodged faces from the crib bumper and not suffocate. Furthermore, they are probably 3 years old and do not need to be in a crib anyway. It is literally impossible for an infant to give themselves a head injury in that manner; however, there are actually recorded deaths of infants suffocating in crib bumpers. Here is yet another link to a study on crib bumpers. It concluded that all crib bumpers are hazardous and should not be used: http://www.californiasids.com/UploadedFiles/Forms/Bumper%20Pad%20Article.pdf
Next on the agenda is all the cozy, comfy things you put in the crib to entertain your infant or keep them warm.
Infants are learning to use their motor skills and one of those is their ability to grasp items with those cute little fingers. Items like your hair, your earrings, your sunglasses, the cat's ears, and even the blanket you insist on putting in their crib.
And do you recall where those items all go? IN THE MOUTH. ON THE FACE. ON THE HEAD.
Anything cushy that goes into the crib can subsequently go onto your infants head, which is a suffocation hazard. Especially blankets. A good rule of thumb: Anything soft does not belong in the crib. If you are concerned that your infant will be cold, which is valid, without a blanket there is a simple solution: turn up the thermostat a degree of two. Dress them in a t-shirt and pajamas. And, if you insist, invest in a sleep sack!
These are not crazy, outrageous suggestions. Infants to not have the same motor and cognitive skills that you do. Nor do they care for cozy items. Safety should always be first, because if it is not - you can't take it back if something goes wrong. I understand that the chances are low that your child will actually suffocate in these items - but does it seem like a good compromise to take chances with your child's life just so that their crib can be pretty with fuzzy, cozy things?
No comments:
Post a Comment