Should A Baby Pillow Be Used In The Crib
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? 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. Following this, various studies and surveys were conducted to evaluate the relevance of this change on the occurrence of SIDS. While the incidence of SIDS related deaths had decreased by half, other findings were also identified by the studies. In 2005, an AAP task force released a new statement, which included several recommendations. Primarily, the non prone position was changed to a recommendation of a back only position. Included in the recommendations was a clearly defined list of items to place in the crib: a firm mattress, a fitted sheet, and the baby. A bumper pad, if used, must be firm and snugly fitted. No baby pillow or toys or other objects should be included. 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. Prior to using the baby pillow sleep positioner, parents should first seek the advice of their Pediatrician to be safe.