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How Safe Are Babies in Bassinets?
June 27, 2008 07:00 AM
With increasing numbers of parents placing their babies in bassinets to sleep, researchers are examining their safety.
30-Second Summary
More than 45 percent of infants between zero and two months old sleep in bassinets, but experts know little about bassinet safety.
In fact, bassinets are not yet subject to any government safety standards.
But because bassinet use has gone up considerably in recent years, researchers from the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. are studying records of 53 sudden infant deaths that occurred in bassinets between 1990 and 2004.
In 85 percent of the cases examined, babies died from lack of oxygen.
The records, which came from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), noted that more than half of the babies who “died suddenly and unexpectedly” were found on their stomachs; 74 percent were sleeping with blankets, pillows and even plastic bags in the bassinet.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) suggests the sleeping surface in a crib or bassinet be kept smooth, without pillows or fluffy blankets, and that the mattress be covered with a fitted sheet.
NICHD also states that babies are safest when they sleep on their backs (even for naps), and urged parents to avoid bed sharing because it is responsible for a substantial number of infant deaths.
Since bassinets allow parents to keep babies close at night without the risks of bedsharing, the CPSC has offered some bassinet safety guidelines. In addition to a “firm, snuggly fitting mattress,” bassinets should have legs that lock, a wide base and “smooth surfaces without protruding hardware.”
In fact, bassinets are not yet subject to any government safety standards.
But because bassinet use has gone up considerably in recent years, researchers from the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. are studying records of 53 sudden infant deaths that occurred in bassinets between 1990 and 2004.
In 85 percent of the cases examined, babies died from lack of oxygen.
The records, which came from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), noted that more than half of the babies who “died suddenly and unexpectedly” were found on their stomachs; 74 percent were sleeping with blankets, pillows and even plastic bags in the bassinet.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) suggests the sleeping surface in a crib or bassinet be kept smooth, without pillows or fluffy blankets, and that the mattress be covered with a fitted sheet.
NICHD also states that babies are safest when they sleep on their backs (even for naps), and urged parents to avoid bed sharing because it is responsible for a substantial number of infant deaths.
Since bassinets allow parents to keep babies close at night without the risks of bedsharing, the CPSC has offered some bassinet safety guidelines. In addition to a “firm, snuggly fitting mattress,” bassinets should have legs that lock, a wide base and “smooth surfaces without protruding hardware.”
Headline Link: Sleep hazards for babies
The Children’s National Medical Center researchers also reviewed sleep locations for 708 babies and their mothers, and found that bed sharing occurred approximately 33 percent of the time. “Approximately half of all sudden and unexpected infant deaths in the United States occur when an infant is sharing a sleep surface with someone else; the factors associated with bedsharing are also associated with SIDS” the researchers wrote.
Source: New York NBC affiliate WNBC
Related Topics: Infant sleep safety; babies ‘chilling out’
Some stores sell infant sleep positioners, which are supposed to help babies stay on their backs while they rest. However, experts warn that putting anything cushioned in a crib can endanger a baby by blocking their airways and causing suffocation. Consumer Reports stated that “parents are being given the wrong message” when they see cribs filled with fluffy items in stores.
Source: Consumer Reports
On June 24, 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall of 320,000 cribs made by Jardine Enterprises. The slats on the cribs can break, which could trap infants or pose strangulation risks. Affected cribs were sold nationwide from January 2002 through May 2008. “Our top message to parents is that babies should not be in this crib tonight or thereafter,” said CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson.
Source: Hartford Courant
“You can hardly move in the average maternity ward without tripping over incubators, warming bassinets and receiving blankets,” according to The Wall Street Journal's health blog. But for parents worried that their children may get too cold at night, some hospitals are working under a new idea that keeping babies who did not get enough oxygen during birth a little cooler may actually help their brain development later.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Reference: Infant safety resources
The national “Back to Sleep” campaign serves as a reminder that infants should be placed on their backs for sleeping. The campaign also provides resources for reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Source: NICHD
To stay current on infant/child product recalls, or toy recalls, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site.
Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission
Read findingDulcinea’s Web Guide to Shopping for Baby to find online recommendations about buying baby gear. The “Buying Baby Products” section recommends Web sites for learning specifically about product safety issues.
Source: findingDulcinea
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
