SIDS. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Hearing those four little words or the one little acronym can strike fear in the heart of any new parent. SIDS is real, random, quick and totally unexpected. Parents will naturally do anything in their power to prevent the unthinkable from happening to their perfectly healthy newborn.

What is SIDS? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is exactly what it sounds like. A perfectly healthy newborn baby, usually less than 6 months old, simply stops breathing in their sleep. The unsuspecting parents go to wake their child up from his or her nap and find their worst nightmare has come true.

While many theories are flying around about the cause of SIDS, most focus on the deepness of sleep and how it affects the child’s breathing. Babies do not sleep as soundly when they are on their backs and many attribute this fact to the success of the “back to sleep” campaign.

Another theory which you may not be familiar with is that the crib mattress itself is to blame for SIDS cases. It is actually the chemicals and toxins emitted from the mattress that is actually to blame. Arsenic, phosphorus and antimony are intentionally added to crib mattresses by the manufacturers as fire retardants. SIDS was very rare prior to the 1950s when these additives became standard. Click here to review scientific studies, articles and publications supporting this theory.

“As crib mattresses start to age, these fire retardant chemicals react with ordinary household fungi (harmless fungi, at that) to create a very, very dangerous chemical reaction. The toxins emitted, as these compounds interact, are actually a thousand times more toxic than carbon monoxide.”

According to the article found at bestinbedding.com
“As crib mattresses start to age, these fire retardant chemicals react with ordinary household fungi (harmless fungi, at that) to create a very, very dangerous chemical reaction. The toxins emitted, as these compounds interact, are actually a thousand times more toxic than carbon monoxide. While other factors like nutrition, smoking around the baby, and sleep position are still potentially factors in SIDS, given the research relating non-organic crib mattresses to fatal toxin release should be enough for new mothers to take a look at their portable and non-portable crib mattress purchases.”

In addition, the toxins emitted become greater as time goes on. This may explain why SIDS rates are higher for second children…..and higher yet for third children and so on. Many parents will only purchase a crib mattress one time and re-use it for all of their children. In addition, the fungi left by the first baby is already in place to start interacting with the chemicals more quickly when the following children use the mattress.

The toxic mattress theory also explains why the “Back to sleep” campaign has been so successful. If a baby is not lying face down in a pool of neuro-toxins then they at least have a bit of fresh air in the mix and a better shot at survival. The toxic gases released by the mattress when it interacts with the fungi is very dense and heavier than air so it lies in a very thin film on the mattress which the baby is face-first in when sleeping in a prone position.

If you think the toxic mattress theory has merit or if you just want to err on the side of caution then there are three options you have to minimize your newborn’s exposure to these potentially lethal toxins (which some also theorize are connected to the rise in autism in the United States):

1. Purchase an organic crib mattress
2. Mattress wrapping
3. Co-sleeping

Let’s quickly explore these three options.

Organic Crib Mattress
Organic crib mattresses are free of synthetic fabrics, plastics, formaldehyde, chemicals, dyes and the hazardous chemicals that are linked to SIDS. The mattresses are commonly made with wool which acts as a natural fire retardant. Even if SIDS does not concern you, do you want your child spending 70% of their early life laying on a toxic, synthetic mattress? Don’t forget to make sure baby’s mattress pad, crib bedding and sleepwear are also organic.

You can buy organic crib mattresses at Amazon, TheNaturalSleepStore, Non-toxic.com, or Nature’sCrib.com

Mattress Wrapping
Mattress wrapping is simply wrapping your existing crib mattress in a particular way with an impermeable cover (plastic) to minimize the toxic fumes that your baby comes in contact with. The cover keeps moisture from the baby out and toxic fumes in. It is certainly much less expensive that buying an organic mattress for up to $1000. Parents have been wrapping crib mattresses in New Zealand for the last twelve years thanks to aggressive public awareness campaigns and in that time their SIDS rate has dropped to one of the lowest in the world and there has never been a reported SIDS case on a properly wrapped mattress. Please read that again.

There has never been a single reported SIDS case on a properly wrapped mattress.

Why isn’t this common knowledge? Can you imagine the lawsuit if mattress manufacturers ever have to admit responsibility? Well, now you know and you should probably make a point of telling all of your pregnant friends. If you are going to use a crib with a non-organic mattress, then wrap it. You will probably have to import your mattress cover from overseas but its a small price to pay for not gambling on your baby’s life.

Learn more about mattress wrapping at:
http://www.cotlife2000.com/
http://www.babysake.com/Howtowrap.htm
http://www.healthychild.com/cribdeathcause.htm
http://www.preventcribdeath.com/

Cosleeping
The last option (and the least expensive) if you are interested in keeping your baby safe from SIDS is cosleeping. Odds are that your adult mattress is not organic either, but it contains more springs and frame than pure foam which is what contains the PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) used as flame retardants. (Please never cosleep with your baby if you are using a tempurpedic or memory foam mattress.)

Other than reduced gases, cosleeping offers further protection against SIDS. Breastfeeding babies are a substantially reduced risk for SIDS, and cosleeping facilitates breastfeeding more than any other lifestyle choice. Breastfeeding newborns will also not assume a prone (tummy lying) position while sleeping next to their lactating mothers. Babies generally sleep on their sides or back for easy access to mom. Cosleeping mothers are also in a higher alert state during sleep so they are much more likely to respond to a baby in any sort of silent distress. Lastly, since a fear of fire seems to be the rationale for loading up crib mattresses with chemicals (by federal law mind you), then doesn’t it make sense to keep the batteries in your smoke alarms fresh and sleep next to your child so you can carry them out of your home in the event of an emergency?

If you are concerned about the myths surrounding cosleeping safety, then first keep in mind that there is a reason they call it “cot death” or “crib death” and not “sleeping next to mom death”. One well publicized study which attempted to portray cosleeping as unsafe found 515 cosleeping deaths in an eight year period. While that may sound like a large number, it pales in comparison to the approximately 34,000 crib deaths that occurred in the US in the same time period.

There are other SIDS risk factors such as having smoking parents (smokers exhale toxins when they breathe) and recent vaccinations. Knowing the risk factors and causes of SIDS, particularly the ones that are exceptionally easy to eliminate, is the first step parents can take to sleeping easy knowing your baby is safe.

Learn more about cosleeping and SIDS at:
http://www.babyreference.com/Cosleeping&SIDSFactSheet.htm
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102200.asp

Other SIDS death factors:
http://www.healthychild.com/SIDS-crib-death-factors.htm

Author: Sheryl Lyon
Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/peasap/2561252071/

Interestingly, there has been ongoing controversy in the anti-vaccine community about the connection between vaccines and increased seratonin levels in children. This controversy has primarily centered around the vaccine/autism connection because autistic children also have high levels of seratonin just like SIDS victims. SomeStudies have shown vaccines to cause a spike in seratonin levels within 12 hours after receiving certain vaccines.

This information should be enough for reasonable doubt as to the safety of infant vaccines and is an excellent argument for simply delaying vaccines until a child is between 2-5 years old or foregoing them altogether as many parents are beginning to do. If you do choose to vaccinate your children, then by all means breastfeed, don’t allow cigarette smoke anywhere near your child and don’t let your child sleep face down or on a non-organic crib mattress for 3 weeks following any vaccine.
Learn more at vaccinetruth.org

Author: Velvet Woodly
If you are a parent or would like to be one, going green should be a major priority for your family. You may ask why. Dozens of cleaning and personal care products purchased at local grocery stores contain harmful chemical ingredients. Unprecedented exposure to chemicals contaminants, pollution, toxic products and stress increase unhealthy conditions, from arthritis and cancer to heart disease and even symptoms of aging.

What parents don’t realize is that storing some of the leading household cleaners in the home is no better than storing gasoline . Each year, over 1 million children are accidentally poisoned. Thousands of children and adults are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with chemicals in the home. The most common substance to poison children is a household cleaner.

Did you know…
That natural cleaning products work just as well as their caustic, chemical counterparts? Skip the name brands in the cleaning aisle (especially while pregnant, nursing or with toddlers around) and go straight for the food section of your grocery store. White vinegar and water will clean and disinfect just about anything and you can add table salt and baking soda to scrub out the tough ones.

Some leading, name brand cleaners are highly flammable, dangerous to inhale, can cause irritation and/or damage to skin, eyes and lungs. Some very popular name brand baby and women’s body wash contain the carcinogen, 1.4-Dioxane, which is suspected of causing cancer or birth defects. Actually ¼ of all personal care products sold in the U.S may contain this chemical. With over 150,000 babies born with defects each year or reasons unknown, it should make you wonder if toxins are the blame for a percentage. Another 500,000 babies are miscarried early in pregnancy or stillborn. Infertility is increasing and widespread with over 2 million couples unable to conceive. Environmental factors in childhood cancers are being researched and the cause of childhood cancer is difficult to prove. By now you should be saying hmmmm.

You may feel this is overwhelming and not even know where to start. The best time to start is when you are pregnant or trying to conceive. High levels of toxins can be found in the blood stream of newborn babies due to the mother’s level of exposure during pregnancy. Since exposure begins in the womb with toxins being transferred from mom to baby by umbilical cord blood, this is a vital stage to reduce exposure. With no one knowing the true effects on a developing brain and other vital organs, use natural cleaning & personal care products both during and after pregnancy. Choosing organic foods whenever possible will also greatly decrease your exposure level to toxins.

Now you may say my children are already here. What do I do now? Is it too late? It is never too late. Start where you are. Eating organic foods decreases toxins. Certain fruits and vegetables are more toxic than others and going organic in this group reduces your level of exposure to pesticides by 90%. These include potatoes, strawberries, peaches, apples, spinach, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, cherries, pears, imported grapes and lettuce. Searching for organic foods is not always the most convenient or affordable. If you focused on this batch, it would truly make an impact on your child’s toxin in take.

You can also make a healthier decision when it comes to your child’s mattress. Some crib mattresses are constructed of polyurethane foam enclosed in vinyl covers. The plastic products are made by combining highly toxic chemicals together. Every night your child breathes in these toxins. A healthier alternative would be to purchase a mattress made from 100% natural and raw fibers. You can find natural mattresses for all stages of your child’s life from birth to teens.

Standard crib mattresses are also soaked in flame retardants (by law). Some parents may rest easier knowing that the crib mattress is less likely to ignite but there are non-toxic alternatives available such as wool, which is a natural flame retardant. Toxic crib mattresses may be a key player in SIDS as well. If your child has a reduced immune system from recent vaccines or smoking in the house and then sleeps face down in a cloud of toxins, it is a recipe for disaster. Learn more at Cribs, SIDS and Cosleeping.

These are all baby steps to a more natural life style for you and your kids. Do take steps to a healthier home because your health is wealth.

Buy the Book: Eco Babies Wear Green

About the author:
Velvet Haygood Woodly is an Atlanta entrepreneur and owner of an online super store http://www.naturallyvelvet.com . Health and wellness has always been a passion of hers and she does consultation work regularly.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/jdbyford/468926200/

Cosleeping, or using a family bed has a number of advantages for both the parents and their babies. Many parents begin cosleeping to facilitate nighttime breastfeeding or they started bringing their crying newborn to bed with them in the middle of the night just to get some shut eye. Once cosleeping begins parents begin to discover the benefits. The children clearly feel safer and sleep much better when sleeping next to mom and dad. Parents get more sleep because there are no walking trips to the nursery in the middle of the night. Breastfeeding in a family bed merely involves rolling over and letting the baby latch on. It is also an additional eight hours to snuggle, caress and bond with your baby.

Many parents avoid the family bed for safety reasons, however. Perhaps you have heard the horror stories of infant suffocation, rollovers or nasty falls from a parent’s bed. You may have even heard that cosleeping is a risk factor for SIDS and decided to skip the family bed for safety reasons. Much of what you hear about cosleeping is myths, lies and fairy tales because the family bed is just not the cultural norm in western society. Families around the globe have safely used a family bed since the beginning of time. Cosleeping is the safest, healthiest way to sleep with your child for a number of reasons.

SIDS is a term that refers to a baby who dies in their sleep with no known cause. SIDS is extremely rare in cosleeping families. Babies who sleep in the same room as their non-smoking parents have 1/5 the rate of SIDS as babies sleeping in separate bedrooms. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS further. It is interesting to note that another term for SIDS is “crib death” or “cot death”.

Unexplained death in a parents bed is exceptionally rare.
The real safety issues for a family bed is overlying, suffocation, entrapment and falls. While the number of infant deaths for these factors is very small, you still do not want to be the one that it happens to. Here are some basic safety steps you can take to make your family bed as safe as it can be.

Avoid Chemical Influences:
Never sleep with your baby when you have been drinking or using drugs. One glass of wine is probably fine but anything that can impair your reaction time or put you into too deep of a sleep should be avoided. The vast majority of rollover accidents involve alcohol or drug use.

It is very simple. If you get drunk, don’t sleep with your baby. If you do drugs, don’t sleep with your baby. If you smoke, don’t sleep with your baby because you will exhale toxic fumes that increase your baby’s risk of SIDS. You should also avoid sleeping with your baby if you are excessively overtired or using prescription medication that causes drowsiness.

A good rule of thumb is that if you should not be driving, you should not be sleeping with your baby. Place your baby in a bassinet, playpen or even bring in the car seat for one night but do not sleep with your baby if you are impaired in any way.

Think of it this way. A drunk person is more likely to fall out of bed while sleeping than a sober person is. A sober person knows where the edge of their bed is and simply never falls out. A sober parent is also aware of their baby’s presence, location and basic needs even while asleep. It is important to note that other caregivers such as grandparents and babysitters will not have this same sleeping connection with the baby, therefore only the baby’s parents should engage in cosleeping with a newborn.

Avoid Soft Bedding
The same bedding rules that apply to cribs also apply to the family bed. Use a firm, clean mattress with a tight fitting sheet. You never want to have pillows anywhere near your baby’s face. You can use your own judgment on whether or not to continue using adult pillows for yourself based on whether or not your child “creeps” a lot during sleep. Breastfeeding babies will also sleep closer to mom’s breast than the head of the bed anyway.

You should also avoid soft, fluffy comforters, waterbeds, beanbags and stuffed animals. You do not want anything soft on or near your bed that your baby can bury their face in, fall into or not be able to extricate themselves from. This rule of thumb is only imperative for infants. As your baby gets older the comforters and stuffed animals become less dangerous because your baby can roll over, sit up, talk and push things out of his or her face.

It is also important to remove suffocation and drowning hazards from around the bed. If your baby falls or crawls out of bed, there should be no fluffy bedding, pillows, water or other objects that your baby can fall face down into and not get out of.

Make Falling Impossible
There are a few ways that you can prevent your baby from falling out of bed. The easiest but probably least aesthetic way is to simply place your mattress on the floor. This also solves the problem of entrapment and even if your little one does get to the edge, there is only a six inch drop to the floor. Some families fill the entire room with wall to wall mattresses if they have a large family.

Babies will usually sleep between both parents which pretty much prevents a fall out, but that does not protect the baby during naps or if sleeping with a single parent. Single parents can use a bed rail on the opposite site of the baby. If your baby will be napping alone, then use a bassinet, multiple bedrails or place your mattress on the floor until your baby is old enough where falling is not an issue.

You can also place towels or a yoga mat on the floor next to the mattress if you have a baby who moves a lot during sleep and your mattress is on a solid surface floor rather than carpeting. Just make sure that the backup is not a suffocation hazard.

Another way you can prevent falls is by using bed rails. There are many brands on the market which prevent rolloffs, entrapment and suffocation simultaneously. Many parents put the baby between themselves and the bed rail or they use two bed rails for naps. You can use bed rails until your baby is more mobile and then put the mattress on the floor. You could use your adult bed only if you are in bed with your baby and simply let your baby nap on a blanket on the floor, a sling or in a bassinet.

Another option is to shove your bed into a corner so the head and one side of the bed are against two walls. This raises the issue of entrapment however. You have to be exceptionally careful with a newborn because they are unable to extricate themselves if their arms, legs or face get stuck in between the mattress and the wall or even in part of the headboard or footboard.

Thoroughly examine around every side of your bed for a space as small as an inch. See if a finger or two slides in easily, then you may have a problem. If you do discover a space that your baby can get stuck in, simply roll up a blanket or towel into a very tight roll and stuff it into the space between the wall and the side of the bed.

Create a Healthy Sleep Environment
Creating a healthy sleep environment applies whether you use a crib or cosleep. Try to create an organic sleep environment for your family. Use an organic mattress if you can afford it. Organic mattresses contain wool which is a natural flame retardant. If you buy a conventional mattress, it may be soaked in chemical flame retardants which have many health risks and many believe that these chemicals are the real cause of SIDS.

It is also important to avoid the use of chemical laundry detergents and fabric softeners. These products are loaded with chemicals and implicated in all sorts of health problems and they have no place near a sensitive baby. Try washing your bedding in hot water only and drying them outside on a line. If you must use detergent, then choose a more natural laundry option such as soap berries or organic laundry products.

Lastly, create a peaceful, healthy environment in your sleeping area by removing all electronic clocks, TVs and phones, blocking all light, using a waterfall or sound machine and keeping the air clean with air filters.

While this may seem like a lot to think about, it is worth taking the time to cosleep properly because bringing your baby to bed with you is the most natural, healthiest and easiest way for everyone in the family to get a great nights sleep.

Visit the Cosleeping Department of A Much Better Store to find everything you need to create a safe, healthy family bed.

Buy the Tres Tria Cosleeping Solution
Buy the Humanity Family Bed Cosleeper

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/kellysue/2351417513/

Breastfeeding is one of the most essential components of attachment parenting and there is enough scientific proof to suggest that failure to breastfeed a newborn child can cause long term medical problems for both the mother and the child. In addition to containing vital nutrients for the newborn, breastfeeding actually improves a child’s immune system and provides protection against some of common ailments like gastrointestinal problems and susceptibility to problems like diarrhea. Breastfeeding not only benefits the new born child, but it also helps the nursing mother. There is scientific evidence to prove that women that breastfeed tend to lose weight that they put on during pregnancy much faster than non breastfeeding mothers.

There are also psychological advantages of breastfeeding in addition to all of the health benefits. Psychologists agree that breastfeeding is a vital way for both the parent and the infant to bond with each other which is why breastfeeding is of the most important aspects of attachment parenting. Independent studies have suggested that there is a direct correlation between the IQ of a child and if he was breastfed or not; almost all studies carried out have suggested that breastfed babies have higher IQs compared to babies who have not been breastfed.

Breastfeeding helps prevent allergies
Multiple studies have been carried out that suggest, that babies who are breastfed past six months of age, have a lower probability of developing respiratory allergies, and this protection lasts into adolescence. The fact that these studies have been carried out independently and have made similar conclusions, is certain proof that breastfed babies do stand a better chance of not developing allergies. In fact even in families with a past history of allergies, breastfed babies have shown to have better resistance than babies that are fed supplements and cow’s milk. There is no clear mechanism that shows how this allergy protection works, but it is believed that mother’s milk passes on essential immuno-proteins from her blood stream, hence passively immunizing the baby against allergies she has encountered.

Breastfeeding protects against common ailments
Studies from all over the world have concluded that breastfed infants are less susceptible to frequent infant problems like ear infections, respiratory problems and gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea. In fact breastfed children who do fall ill, suffer milder effects of the illness. In fact infants that are exclusively breastfed (only fed mother’s milk) have the lowest chance of suffering ailments that afflict infants. As a matter of fact most medical councils around the world, recommend exclusive breastfeeding of infants during the first 6 months.

In addition to common ailments, studies have also found a direct relationship between breastfeeding, diabetes and leukemia. Breastfed children are far less likely to get diabetes and leukemia, the chances of survival of infants is much higher if they are breastfed, as newer studies have also suggested that the incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is much lower in breastfed babies. All in all there is sufficient data and evidence to suggest that breastfed children are by far healthier and more likely to lead healthier lives in the future if they are exclusively breastfed for a minimum of six months.

Other advantages of breastfeeding
As mentioned earlier, breastfed babies are healthier, so parents can save thousands of dollars in medical bills that they might have incurred if the baby was not breastfed. In addition, studies have shown that parents can also save up to $1000 in baby milk products and supplements by exclusively breastfeeding. There is also a high probability that a mother will not be susceptible to ovarian and breast cancer if she has breastfed her child, in fact this is sited as one of the major reasons why women in lesser developing countries, have lower incidence of both ovarian and breast cancer, as they prefer breastfeeding their children. Scientists believe that breast milk is naturally equipped to aid a baby’s immune system, as it is the only way of exchange of immunity between mother and child after birth.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Brian Cook is the author of this article on attachment parenting. Find more information about attachment parenting here.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/stenbough/1300790250/

Starting off the healthiest life for a new baby takes a lot of work, determination, and research. It’s important to have a crib, car seat, and even stroller that meet the safety standards of the industry. But a healthy start goes beyond the nuts and bolts of the necessities. Investing in a natural crib mattress could be some of the best money spent for the new life you are now responsible for guiding.

A natural crib mattress is free of all traces of the environmental toxins used for pest control and fertilizer when the fibers are growing. It is free of all the harmful dies and solutions that are often added during the manufacturing process. Choosing a natural crib mattress ensures your baby the toxin-free sleep that you desire for him. And since babies spend a large amount of their day sleeping, it will give him the best start to a healthy future.

The organic style movement has been on the rise over the last few years. Part of the movement is out of concern for the environment and what the chemicals are doing to the planet. Most of the movement is from people who want a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families.

Even with the rise in popularity of organic products, linens and clothing are only beginning to make their mark. Finding a natural crib mattress may not be as easy as just going to the local retail store. Fortunately, a determined parent can find a natural crib mattress at numerous sites online. It may take a little time to find and it may cost a bit more than the synthetic products available at the MegaStore, but the investments you make today will offer your new baby a great beginning. A natural crib mattress will bring comfort to you both, so take some time to look into one today.

by Kathryn Lang
About the Author: Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer covering environmental issues and especially the recycling industry. She has written various articles on natural crib mattress and regularly contributes to the Fair Home magazine on recycling help issues.

Sheryl’s comment:
Almost any crib mattress available today is loaded with chemicals and toxins (particularly fire retardants) that are linked to SIDS, with the risk increasing with each child that uses the mattress. The solution is either to purchase an organic crib mattress or simply utilize a family bed and skip the crib altogether. Your baby will thank you.

Buy the Organic Rubber Crib Mattress
Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/justpowers/297621258/

Guidelines suggest that newborn babies need to be placed on their back for the safest sleeping. As the infant grows and begins to roll over on his own, the organic crib sheets become the most beneficial to the developing child. The organs of the infant are still growing and maturing and can be easily influenced. Offering a fresh, all natural alternative can be the best thing to encourage healthy development.

Natural products have been rising in popularity over the last few years. With the emphasis on global warming, especially after some of the sensationalized movies that have been produced lately, organic is the popular choice. It is also a healthier choice when it comes to many products. Organic crib mattresses, organic sheets, and other similar products breath easier, are better on the skin, and do not contain any harsh chemicals.

Organic Crib mattresses are not the easiest item to locate. Many of the discount and chain stores haven’t discovered the benefits of carrying the natural products. There focus is still on high prices to you, but low cost to them. The internet is becoming the best tool that new or expectant parents can find. Many of the online stores offer registers like the large retail stores offer.

Even veteran parents or grandparents want the best for their children. With a little investment of time and money, the best organic crib mattress can be found. Companies that specialize in products for the smallest of companies are gaining popularity through the World Wide Web.

by Kathryn Lang
About the Author:Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer covering environmental issues and especially the recycling industry. She has written various articles on organic crib mattress and regularly contributes to the organic help site Fair Home.

Please read our other article on the relationship between crib mattresses and SIDS.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/eclogite/2360053335/