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In the Crib
What Items Should Be in a Baby's Crib?
By Beth Hering
If many safety experts had their way, that basic crib sheet would be it for a crib.
"We suggest a bare crib – no positioning devices, no cover, no pillow, no bumper pads, no toys," says Betty McEntire, executive director of the American SIDS Institute.
Laura Reno, director of public affairs for the nonprofit health group First Candle/SIDS Alliance, echoes that sentiment. "Anything soft or fluffy is dangerous for a sleeping baby – blankets, bumper pads, stuffed animals, quilted mattress pads/covers," she says. "These items can block the flow of fresh air to the baby while he sleeps, a leading risk factor for SIDS."
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the removal of pillows, quilts, comforters and pillow-like stuffed toys from cribs. They also prefer the use of a sleeper or other appropriate sleep clothing instead of blankets to keep the baby warm. If parents feel they must use a blanket, they suggest using only a thin one and tucking it around the crib mattress so it reaches only as far as the baby's chest.
Since parents are told to put the baby on his back to reduce the risk of SIDS, foam sleep positioners may seem like a good idea because they are supposedly designed to help keep the baby in that position. Reno, however, cautions that "positioners have not been tested for effectiveness at keeping babies on their backs and have been known to cause deaths."
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