Are There Risks Involved With Using A Baby Pillow
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by: frankwarehouse
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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. Parents, or their family or friends, may be tempted to buy a baby pillow as a personalized gift for a new baby. But is a baby pillow safe for your baby? 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. 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. Foremost, babies must be laid to sleep on the back only, not on the side. 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. The AAP felt the use of alternate positioning or a baby pillow were not worth risking SIDS.
The baby pillow, Baby Sleep Positioner is marketed with acknowledgments of the recommendations made by the AAP. Made of foam, the purpose of this baby pillow is to support the head while keeping the baby positioned on the back. 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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