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For new parents, baby blankets brings up more warm memories than any other baby-related object. Because everyone loved their own baby blankets so much, it should be no surprise that new parents are concerned with picking out the right blanket for their newborns. However, new parents should be aware of safety issues when it comes to baby blankets too. Chief amongst these is the threat of SIDS.

What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a mystery by definition. The cause of a SIDS death cannot be found even after an autopsy and an investigation. However, SIDS deaths have been reduced since the medical community began educating parents about baby sleeping safety. Although it cannot be proven, suffocation may be one of the biggest culprits of SIDS.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, almost one third of SIDS related deaths are from suffocation in soft bedding. Babies should not be put to sleep in a warm pile of blankets or pillows. Instead, your baby should be wearing sleep-wear that is warm and safe, and be in an environment where nothing could cause suffocation if your baby were to turn over.

Five ways to improve your baby’s safety

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that parents do the following things to improve baby safety:

o Always put the baby to sleep on its back.

o The sleeping area should be a firm mattress.

o There should be no soft, fluffy blankets around the sleeping baby.

o The room should be well-ventilated and no smoking around a sleeping baby.

o Make sure your baby isn’t overheating while sleeping.

Common myths about baby sleeping safety

Some studies have shown that new parents do not follow baby safety guidelines because of their traditions. We tend to respect the opinion of our grandmother, for example, more than an information web site. However, it can be precisely these traditions that are dangerous to your baby’s safety.

One popular practice is to put the baby asleep on its side rather than its back. The fear is that the baby will choke on its own vomit, but this is not true. Studies have repeatedly shown that babies are much more likely to swallow or spit up vomit in their sleep than choke.

Another fear is that the baby will develop a flat spot on its head from sleeping on its back. This is also not true. After all, traditional cultures that try to make their babies’ heads flat (on purpose) have to tie a board to the babies’ heads for months at a time! Even your firmest mattress is softer than that.

As long as you’re watchful, your baby will be happy as a clam in a warm, soft baby blanket. But to be safe, do not keep soft bedding around your baby’s sleeping area until at least a year old. And even then, to be safe, only have one thin blanket at a maximum in the crib.

I love soft baby blankets – in fact, I have a my own favorite blanket around the house that my kids aren’t allowed to play with. But, to improve baby safety in the home, it’s important to know when baby blankets are appropriate and when they should be shelved.

An effective solution to baby sleeping safety is to wrap your baby in a wearable blanket or a modern baby swaddle. Babies love to be wrapped up snuggily, and you’ll sleep better too knowing they are safe.

Copywrite (c) 2007 Barbara Garrison. This article is free to reprint, but please only in its entirety.

Author: Barbara Garrison
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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