You put your baby to sleep in a crib at night, and while the baby may wake up in about two hours, you get to rest a bit. Although you may sleep soundly, is your child, as well?
The recent ban on drop side cribs has caused the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to question other aspects of a baby’s sleep area, bumpers in particular. Although a study done by Dr. Bradley Thatch from 1995 to 2008 showed that 27 babies suffocated from crib bumpers, the CPSC dismissed it because of too many external factors at the time. In the present, however, the CPSC, according to the New York Times is revisiting Dr. Thatch’s study.
After the Consumer Products Safety Improvements Act of 2008 went into effect, the CPSC created the “Safe Sleep” program and mandated or suggested certain standards for cribs. The use of no drop side cribs is mandatory, and sleep positioners and baby monitor cords should be used with discretion. The standards for bassinets and toddler beds, according to the New York Times piece, will be specified at a later date.
Not all parents use cribs, however, but a baby’s sleeping area still needs to be safe. Low-income parents may not be able to afford a crib or families using the “family bed,” or sleep-sharing, style of parenting may place their baby in an adult bed. This is a hazard for the child, possibly leading to suffocation. An article from The Times Herald in Norristown, Penn., suggests finding an alternative to placing a baby in an adult bed, but at the same time, not using a soft place, such as a pillow or waterbed, as a sleeping area. “Cribs for Kids” is one option for families in Pennsylvania, but if you can afford a crib, use one instead of putting your child at risk and make sure no pillows or cushions are inside.
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