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venka
09-08-2001, 11:30 PM
Hello... an issue was brought up on the "sleep positioners" thread that I wanted to branch off of here...

Regarding SIDS prevention products recalled by the CPSC, do you have any information on which specific products are involved? I did a web search and only found a general statement that (paraphrasing): "...any product that claims to make it safe for baby to sleep on their stomach is suspect."

I just purchased a PVC-free polyethylene mattress cover from New Zealand based organization www.criblife2000.com after reading about a possible link between SIDS and toxic gases produced when the chemicals found in mattresses combine with mildew that may also be present in the mattress. The only claim made by Crib Life 2000 regarding stomach sleeping is that the reason the "back to sleep" campaign has caused a 30% drop in SIDS rates is because it allows more distance between baby's face and the toxic gases, which are mostly heavier than normal air and sink downward. While SIDS rates have been reduced, Criblife 2000 claims that the underlying problem of toxic gases must still be addressed, which leads to the idea of a protective mattress cover (and, incidentally, a reduced risk from stomach sleeping since the cover vents downward.)

I'm curious about this theory and the organization promoting it. Any thoughts on their $29.95 mattress cover? They also accept contributions to help provide covers to parents who cannot afford them. It is made of food-grade material (also I think the same stuff used for archival photo storage). They claim that of the thousands of babies who have slept on mattresses protected with this cover, none have died where statistically some number should have been expected to die of SIDS. The lack of hard data is presumably because it is unethical to do a "control group" of giving babies moldy mattresses to sleep on!

Thanks for any insight.

alandenisefields
09-10-2001, 05:08 PM
I had a brief moment to look over the web site; to be honest, we are very skeptical of these product claims. We have not seen any study of this issue in medical journals or by the CPSC; so we are leary to take this company's info with any more than a BIG grain of salt.

We are disappointed that many companies who sell eco-products attempt to use scare tactics to get consumers to buy them. In other words, show us the proof and we might believe it.

Best wishes,

alan & denise fields
authors, BABY BARGAINS