After a warning was issued about thousands of unsafe baby loungers for sale on Facebook, parents may be asking about what really is safe for their child’s crib.
Health officials have revealed a list of five items that could prove deadly to a baby if left in their sleeping area — from a seemingly innocuous pillow to blankets and even stuffed animals.
They warned the items could cause a baby to suffocate by covering their face and blocking the airways or leaving youngsters at risk of dangerous overheating.
But up to 38 percent of American parents still put at least one item that could be deadly to their infant in their crib, according to estimates.
Pictured above are the health risks to an infant while in their crib. The wall of this crib at the bottom has been lowered for the photo, whereas normally that would also need to be raised to protect an infant
The Consumer Product Safety Commission — a Government watchdog — has revealed a list of five things that should not be in a baby’s crib.
They warn that infants are not able to move their heads as well as adults or regulate their body temperature, putting them at greater risk from bedding items.
For a safe sleep environment, babies under 12 months should always be put to rest on a firm, flat mattress with a well-fitted sheet and nothing else.
About 3,500 babies die from sleep-related causes in the US every year, estimates suggest, with declines in this number having slowed recently as risks to babies persist.
It comes after the agency issued a warning yesterday about baby loungers following two more infant deaths. The items — Boppy Newborn Loungers — were initially recalled in 2021, but thousands remain on sale online.
Below is the list of dangerous items in cribs for youngsters under 12 months old:
Pillows
It may be tempting to give your baby a pillow, just like an adult would have. But health experts warn parents against doing this.
They say that if a baby inclines their head against a pillow then it may fall forward, which could obstruct airways and lead to them suffocating.
There is also a risk of a baby rolling its face into a pillow in a crib, which could also cause them trouble breathing.
On the whole, experts don’t recommend giving a child a pillow until they have turned at least two years old.
Stuffed animals
With a new baby, many friends and relatives likely come bearing gifts of soft toys shaped like elephants, giraffes and bears.
But health experts warn parents to keep these out of babies’ cribs, saying that if a child places one covering their face it could block their airways and suffocate them.
Any toy with a cord, ribbon or string attached also poses a strangulation risk should it get wrapped around an infant’s neck.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says stuffed animals should never be placed in or near a sleeping crib for a baby.
Blankets
To stop an infant from getting cold, it can also be tempting to wrap them in a warm blanket while they sleep.
This sounds alarms for health officials, however, who warn that like stuffed animals and pillows, they can also pose a risk of suffocation.
An infant may roll their face into a blanket or try to swallow one, which can block their airways and lead to asphyxiation.
There is also a risk that a blanket could cause an infant to overheat because youngsters are not as able to regulate their body temperature as adults.
Blankets are not considered to be safe for infants until they have turned at least 12 months old.
Padded crib bumpers
Some parents may be tempted to put padded crib bumpers around a crib to make a more comfortable sleep environment.
Health officials have, however, warned against this — saying that when a baby presses its face against them they could have trouble breathing, especially if they are unable to turn their head to move it away.
As babies grow, they also pose a risk of helping a youngster to climb out of their crib, which could lead to dangerous falls and injuries.
Cords within three feet
Surprisingly, babies and toddlers can reach through the bars of their crib for as far as three feet.
This means that any cords within this range pose a risk to youngsters and could leave them at risk of electrocution or suffocation via strangulation.
Health officials also warn that it is best to keep protectors on plug sockets around the house when you have infants in order to avoid electrocution.
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