Related Article Library

Beware Of The Baby Pillow

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. If you receive a baby pillow as a gift or purchase one for your child, there are some chilling facts you must know before you place the pillow in the crib with your baby.

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. 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. These studies showed the rate of SIDS decreased by 50%, but other related factors were also discovered. In 2005, an AAP task force released a new statement, which included several recommendations. 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. 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. 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. If parents are considering the use of the foam baby pillow sleep positioner, checking with their Pediatrician first is probably the safest approach.