Here is my belly from week 18 (5 weeks ago). It's a little bigger now, but with my brain apparently on a baby vacation these days, I keep forgetting to take another picture!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Crib Bumper Pads Dangers
(The picture above is not my crib- just one I found on the 'net) I was told by a couple of doctors that bumper pads (the little pads that frame the bottom inside of the crib) are unsafe and not to use them. I wondered about this, since every baby store sells them, and it just seems so normal to use them. It turns out that many infant safety organizations are warning against the use of them (see http://pediatrics.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2007/1114/1 and http://parentingsquad.com/crib-bumpers-not-worth-the-risk). Goodness- don't we have enough to worry about as parents?!
The following is an article that I found interesting on the subject.
Crib bumper pads are a very common baby product, and parents often use bumper pads thinking they are increasing the safety of their child's crib. However, many health agencies and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) awareness groups are now recommending that parents skip the crib bumper, saying the need for crib bumpers has passed and that using these products may actually put children at greater risk for suffocation or death.
The following is an article that I found interesting on the subject.
Crib bumper pads are a very common baby product, and parents often use bumper pads thinking they are increasing the safety of their child's crib. However, many health agencies and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) awareness groups are now recommending that parents skip the crib bumper, saying the need for crib bumpers has passed and that using these products may actually put children at greater risk for suffocation or death.
Why Do We Use Crib Bumper Pads?
Crib bumper pads became popular in older-style cribs where the slats were far enough apart that a baby's head could become trapped between the slats, posing a suffocation risk. Today, all cribs sold in the United States and Canada are required to have slats close enough together that it's nearly impossible for an infant's head to fit through. So why do we still use the crib bumper pads? For some parents, the reason may be as simple as liking the way the bumper pad looks. The matched crib bedding sets in stores are often cute and the package deal makes for a nice coordinated nursery. Other parents are worried about their child's arms and legs sticking through the crib sides, and some worry that the baby will hit his or her head on the crib sides and cause injury. According to Health Canada, it is nearly impossible for an infant to hit his or her head hard enough on the crib to cause bruising or injury. Health Canada also reports that serious injury is not likely when a child puts his or her arms and legs through the crib slats. The baby will either remove their arm or leg from the slats if possible, or make enough noise to alert a parent for help.
Which Groups Have Recommended Against Bumper Pads?
Some major children's safety organizations have recently suggested that parents and child care providers should remove crib bumper pads from baby cribs. The groups include: American Academy of Pediatrics, Health Canada, National Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the First Candle/National SIDS Alliance. Some state and regional Back to Sleep campaigns now recommend removing bumper pads, as well.
Why Do These Groups Recommend Against Crib Bumper Pads?
One reason child safety organizations recommend against crib bumpers is that they pose a risk of suffocation. Just like a pillow or thick blanket, crib bumper pads can restrict a baby's breathing if the bumper is up next to the baby's nose or mouth. Suffocation risk is greatest when babies are very young and unable to move themselves away from potential hazards.Rebreathing of air is another concern with crib bumper pads. The bumper reduces the flow of fresh air around baby during sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that some infants, when they are overheated or lack sufficient oxygen during sleep, are unable to arouse themselves enough to prevent hypoxia and death. The AAP states that re-breathing of air may in fact be a contributing factor to SIDS.
Solutions
Since many infant safety organizations now recommend that nothing be inside the crib at all, the safest route for parents and babies would be to remove crib bumper pads altogether. For day care centers, the push for increased sleep safety may soon result in states mandating that child care providers no longer use crib bumper pads. For parents who are still concerned about their child sticking arms and legs through the crib slats, and feel that they must use a bumper pad, there are new mesh crib bumpers on the market today that allow more air to flow through the crib.
(http://babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/bumpersafety.htm)
Crib bumper pads became popular in older-style cribs where the slats were far enough apart that a baby's head could become trapped between the slats, posing a suffocation risk. Today, all cribs sold in the United States and Canada are required to have slats close enough together that it's nearly impossible for an infant's head to fit through. So why do we still use the crib bumper pads? For some parents, the reason may be as simple as liking the way the bumper pad looks. The matched crib bedding sets in stores are often cute and the package deal makes for a nice coordinated nursery. Other parents are worried about their child's arms and legs sticking through the crib sides, and some worry that the baby will hit his or her head on the crib sides and cause injury. According to Health Canada, it is nearly impossible for an infant to hit his or her head hard enough on the crib to cause bruising or injury. Health Canada also reports that serious injury is not likely when a child puts his or her arms and legs through the crib slats. The baby will either remove their arm or leg from the slats if possible, or make enough noise to alert a parent for help.
Which Groups Have Recommended Against Bumper Pads?
Some major children's safety organizations have recently suggested that parents and child care providers should remove crib bumper pads from baby cribs. The groups include: American Academy of Pediatrics, Health Canada, National Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the First Candle/National SIDS Alliance. Some state and regional Back to Sleep campaigns now recommend removing bumper pads, as well.
Why Do These Groups Recommend Against Crib Bumper Pads?
One reason child safety organizations recommend against crib bumpers is that they pose a risk of suffocation. Just like a pillow or thick blanket, crib bumper pads can restrict a baby's breathing if the bumper is up next to the baby's nose or mouth. Suffocation risk is greatest when babies are very young and unable to move themselves away from potential hazards.Rebreathing of air is another concern with crib bumper pads. The bumper reduces the flow of fresh air around baby during sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that some infants, when they are overheated or lack sufficient oxygen during sleep, are unable to arouse themselves enough to prevent hypoxia and death. The AAP states that re-breathing of air may in fact be a contributing factor to SIDS.
Solutions
Since many infant safety organizations now recommend that nothing be inside the crib at all, the safest route for parents and babies would be to remove crib bumper pads altogether. For day care centers, the push for increased sleep safety may soon result in states mandating that child care providers no longer use crib bumper pads. For parents who are still concerned about their child sticking arms and legs through the crib slats, and feel that they must use a bumper pad, there are new mesh crib bumpers on the market today that allow more air to flow through the crib.
(http://babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/bumpersafety.htm)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Tiny (Break)Dancer
I finally know that I am feeling the baby move now, rather than just thinking that it may be the baby or it may be gas. In fact, I think he just may be break dancing around in there! Sometimes when he moves, I can see my stomach move as well, which is just so wild! Other times, he gets his little head in the corner of the front of my tummy, and I can actually feel it with my hand.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Boy, Oh Boy!
I went in for my monthly check-up yesterday and went over my second trimester screen blood tests and fetal anatomy ultrasound reviewed by the radiologist, and everything is perfectly on track, and my little one is very healthy!
I asked about my due date, and since the earliest ultrasounds are the most reliable, and those dates were just a few days earlier than the May 24th date, they are going to keep my due date at May 24th. I don't expect him to arrive on the 24th, but it's a nice number since both my dad and my sister, Nancy, were born on the 24th (September and March).
So about Bubba- I am not earlier than thought; he is just a big, tall boy!
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