What is SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS or Sudden Unexpected Infant Death SUIDS is also referred to as crib death, or cot death in the UK and Australia.
SIDS is the term used when an otherwise healthy baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly.
SIDS Statistics
SIDS is responsible for about 50 deaths per 100,000 live births in the United States and Canada.
The introduction of the “Back to Sleep” campaign in 1994 has brought wide spread awareness to the issue of SIDS. The death rate due to SIDS has since declined by 30%.
What Causes SIDS?
There is no firm cause of SIDS, but there are many factors which can contribute to SIDS. These can include overheating from excessive sleepwear or bedding, exposure to tobacco smoke after birth, chemical exposure from the mattress and stomach sleeping.
While the mainstream medical community will not admit to specific causal factors of SIDS, research by Dr. Jim Sprott and other scientists has shown that toxic chemical fumes from mattresses is a causal factor in SIDS.
According to Dr. Sprott’s research, conventional mattresses contain compounds that emit chemical fumes. This means that if your baby is sleeping on a conventionally manufactured mattress, they are inhaling gasses, which can cause respiratory illnesses at best and crib death at worst.
Conventional mattresses are most commonly manufactured using polyvinyl chloride (PVC), phosphorous, arsenic and antimony. Also, the crib environment can be a breeding ground for bacteria, molds and dust mites. This also means that a common household mildew can interact with these chemical elements in conventional mattresses and form other gases which are deadly. The best bet would be to opt for a natural organic crib mattress.
Over time, all mattresses are exposed to variations in temperature and moisture which can make an older mattress even more dangerous to baby. It is important to cover older, used mattresses with a tick, non-porous, polyethylene material which is free of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. This ensures that the mildew in the mattress will not react with the chemicals to cause toxic off-gassing.
Replacing a conventional mattress with an organic mattress, or covering it with a non-toxic mattress cover can minimize these effects. It is also important to note that a mattress with a latex core does not harbour microbes such as dust mites and bacteria that can add to an unsafe crib environment.
What can Reduce the Risk of SIDS?
Here are a few tips to help reduce the risk of SIDS:
- Back to Sleep: infants should be placed on their back for every sleep.
- Use a firm sleep surface.
- Keep crib safe by getting rid of the clutter such as toys, loose bedding and soft objects.
- Provide a smoke-free environment for baby.
- Breastfeeding has been shown to have a slight benefit in the prevention of SIDS.
- Ensure that baby sleeps in their crib for the first six months.
- Get an Organic Crib Mattress.
Can I Get Around SIDS Without Springing for an Organic Mattress?
While wrapping the mattress in an organic mattress pad will help, it will not completely eliminate the off gassing effects from a conventional mattress. However, if you have limited funds, this is usually the only option. Changing and mattress pads are available that are manufactured from organic cotton and other natural materials.
DO NOT wrap a conventional mattress in plastic, the plastic wrap itself off gasses and is uncomfortable for baby to sleep on. Would you want to sleep on a bed of plastic?
What is the Best Organic Crib Mattress for my Baby?
While many organic mattress manufacturers try their best, Essentia has taken its best a step further by having its mattresses tested in December 2010 Columbia Labs. The tests looked for trace emissions that were 10,000 times smaller than standard regulatory certification limits.
The official results of the tests were that all Essentia mattresses, including those in the baby line, contain no trace of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), no trace of semi-VOCs and no trace of formaldehyde. Our La-La organic baby mattress is specially made for cribs.
In addition to this testing, Essentia has taken the time and money to undergo testing with various third-party organizations, including the Organic Trade Association, Green America, and the Euro-Latex Eco Standard.
What this means is the best organic sleep experience possible for your baby, and we all want that. When your baby gets a great sleep, everyone breathes just a little bit easier.
People who read this article also read:
- Why buy an Organic Crib Mattress- How to choose a memory foam mattress
- Spring mattress or memory foam mattress?
