Should You Use a Firm or an Extra-Firm Mattress for Infants?
Soft crib or bassinet mattresses risk trapping an infant between the bed and the mattress or smothering the child in the soft folds of the fabric. A firm mattress reduces the risk of suffocation for infants, but the use of the term "firm" varies by the mattress manufacturer. Mattresses labeled "firm," "extra firm," "ultra firm" or "super firm" all offer good safety choices compared with bedding labeled "soft" or "medium" for infant bedding. The mattress manufacturing process, however, can also reduce the safety of a mattress, even with a "firm" or "extra-firm" label.
-
Mattress Safety
-
The National MCH Center for Child Death Review, part of the Michigan Public Health Institute, warns that infants risk suffocation when trapped between a soft mattress and a wall or between the crib slats. Young babies don't have the ability to use their arms or legs to push or rotate their bodies when the mattress blocks them from breathing. Firm mattresses reduce the risk of danger because a trapped infant still has the ability to breathe until an adult helps move the baby.
Soft and Medium
-
Mattresses labeled as "soft" or "medium" bring a higher risk of danger due to the fabric folds that could cause suffocation, according to National MCH Center for Child Death Review. Parents following the sleeping recommendations of the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development place infants face-up to sleep, but as babies experiment with movement, they begin to roll over, and the baby's face frequently ends up face-down on the mattress. Soft and medium mattress covers have more fabric that could frame the child's face and potentially cut off air circulation when this happens.
Firm and Extra-Firm
-
Firm or extra-firm mattresses have covers in which the fabric is wrapped tightly against the frame, and that means a lower risk for suffocation. Testing the mattress to judge the amount of fabric helps parents select the best infant bedding. The tighter the fabric mattress covering, the safer the sleeping environment for small babies unable to move to avoid suffocation. Test the mattress by placing a hand on it and pushing down. The mattress should show little or no movement to qualify for a "firm" or "extra-firm" label.
Other Mattress Concerns
-
The materials used to make a firm, extra-firm or ultra-firm mattress sometimes determine the final choice for parents if the manufacturer uses dangerous or toxic chemicals. Infant mattress makers also occasionally treat mattresses with chemicals that could aggravate allergies, according to Clean and Healthy New York, a nonprofit focused on environmental concerns and healthy living. CHNY found that a little more than half of crib mattress makers provided a full disclosure of the materials and manufacturing processes, and the group found only 8 percent of infant mattresses without toxic or allergy-causing chemicals during tests. Focusing your research on the general category of "firm" and then narrowing your search based on other factors may leave you with only a few choices for your infant's safety.
-
-
Yawning, clinginess, and fussiness are common signs of an overtired baby. Nearly 14 to 15 hours of sleep is needed for babies over six months during the day . A baby can become overtired if they don’t get sufficient sleep. Sometimes overstimulation c
-
The Babys Dream Serenity bed can stay with your child from the time theyre a newborn into their adulthood. The Serenity bed can be configured as a crib, toddler bed and adult bed. To convert the crib into a toddler bed, you will need some of the part
-
If youre the parent of a 2-month-old baby, youre probably eager to have her sleep through the night so that you can get a good rest yourself. Some people advocate letting baby cry it out, checking on her at intervals until she falls asleep. If this s
Previous:Dirt Bike Nursery Ideas
