For the first six months, newborn babies sleep 14-18 hours a day in their crib. SIDS, a terrifying acronym for mothers and fathers alike, is the sudden, unexpected and unexplainable death of a child under the age of 1. Ninety percent of SIDS deaths happen to babies who are under the age of six months. There have been many speculations as to the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; however an autopsy does not show an explainable cause of death. After a million of SIDs related infant deaths and over 50 years of research, the cause of this syndrome is still a mystery. Or is it?
Significant research suggests that the cause of SIDS lies in the crib mattresses that babies sleep on for the vast majority of their young life. Mattresses are often dipped in harmful chemical compounds that are used to create a fire barrier. A fungus that typically grows in bedding can interact with these harmful chemicals and create toxic gases. The sleeping baby can both breathe and absorb these toxic chemicals. If the baby is exposed to lethal doses, the central nervous system will shut down. First, breathing is inhibited, and then heart function stops. These toxic gases, created by the chemicals in flame retardants, can fatally poison a sleeping baby and an autopsy would reveal no sign of struggle or poison.
While this theory has not been proven, it has also not been disproven. Cautious parents may want to consider investing in organic bedding for their newborn. Organic crib mattresses are composed of: organic wool, organic cotton, and organic latex (as are organic crib mattress pads). Not only are these mattresses extremely comfortable, they also contain no harsh chemical flame retardants and no toxic pesticides. Instead, organic crib mattresses utilize wool as a naturally flame resistant textile that meets all federal fire retardant regulations. Buy the best for your baby. Go organic. After all, it’s better to be safe, than sorry.
Check out the following article, and its references, for more information on SIDS: http://www.healthychild.com/toxic-sleep/has-the-cause-of-crib-death-sids-been-found/.