| |
Home and Family > Babies Toddler > Why You Absolutely Must Use An Organic Crib Mattress For Your Baby
0
Reviews [ add review ],
Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Laura Taff
Organic Mattresses and Your Baby's Health
When a woman is pregnant, we say she's "expecting". For soon-to-be mothers,
that doesn't just mean she's expecting a baby - she's expecting giggles and
coos, dirty diapers, tiny toes to keep warm, and a little one to help stay
healthy for years and years to come. There's so much concern over the
minutest choices a new mom makes, it's hard to keep it all straight. The most
important detail I've ever heard regarding an infant in its first year is
this - your new baby, between the ages of birth and one year, will sleep more
than 70% of the time. Given that statistic, where your new baby sleeps is
probably the most important decision you have to make before you welcome him
or her into your house.
In this article, I'll discuss the health benefits of an organic crib mattress
and why it's best for your baby; but first, let's look at some of the dangers
of traditional crib mattresses and how they might be linked to SIDS (Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome).
What is SIDS?
New and expecting mothers have heard about the danger of SIDS over and over
again, but we're rarely given an answer as to why it occurs. We're told the
cause is unknown and that little can be done to prevent it. We'll wake up
dozens of times during the night just to make sure our baby is breathing. We
lay our babies on their sides, swaddled with blankets at their back, just to
make sure they don't roll over and sleep in a prone position - a common
belief of a contributor to SIDS.
However, new research has brought us closer to understanding what exactly may
be the cause of SIDS. For dozens of years, new mothers may have been laying
their babies down directly on the cause - chemical-laden crib mattresses and
portable crib mattresses.
Crib Mattresses and Their Relation to SIDS
Unlike organic crib mattress, the traditional crib mattress contains
chemicals like arsenic, phosphorus, and antimony. These were added to the
mattresses initially with the best of intentions, as they act as fire
retardants. However, before manufacturers added these chemicals to their
mattresses, SIDS was rarely heard of. Afterward, the death rate skyrocketed
in newborns. As more and more people are looking at the relationship between
traditional crib mattresses and portable crib mattresses and SIDS, science
made a startling discovery.
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.
In trying to prevent SIDS, the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development started the "Back to Sleep" Campaign. This Campaign promotes
laying babies on their backs to sleep instead of their stomachs. As a result,
crib deaths decreased by an amazing fifty percent. I believe that the
reduction in crib deaths is due to the fact that now babies noses are being
turned away from directly breathing in these toxic fumes. But there are still
fifty percent that are effected by the chemicals indirectly.
Although 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 baby mattress purchases. I think if every
mother switched to an organic bassinet and crib mattress, we would see the
SIDS occurrence rate reduce to almost none.
Why are Organic Crib Mattresses Better?
It's no secret that as new parents we want what's best for our babies -
whether it's our first or our fifth. Buying organic baby products is a great
step towards insuring the health of our children - not only because it's
better for them right now, but because organically grown material is better
for the environment as a whole. This is the same environment we will pass
along to our children and their children in years to come.
Organic crib mattresses are produced without any of the harmful chemicals
traditional non-portable and portable crib mattresses contain. They're made
of 100% organic material, most of which is organic cotton and wool.
Organically grown cotton is great for the environment and absolutely the
healthiest choice you can make for you and your family.
Wool is also a natural flame-retardant, making it possible to meet the high
standards of The CPSC without using any chemicals whatsoever.
Because organic crib mattresses don't contain any of the harmful chemicals
that could potentially be the cause of SIDS, you can put your baby to sleep
knowing you're doing your absolute best for him or her. And, as I mentioned
earlier, because new babies sleep over 70% of their first year, resting their
heads on the safest material you can get is a big step towards insuring their
future health.
What Kind of Organic Crib Mattress Should I Look For?
Buying organic baby items and organic household items can sometimes be tricky.
In the grocery store, we're bombarded with labels claiming "pure" and "
organic". But how do we know if they really are?
In order to meet federal regulations, before a company can stamp their
product with "organic" they have to meet several requirements. This is the
case, as well, with organic baby mattresses.
The material must meet standards like being produced from renewable resources
and include the conservation of soil and water to ensure the health of the
environment for the future. If a product is stamped as 100% organic, by
federal law, it must be exactly that. It cannot contain ingredients that harm
the environment or are synthetically produced.
When you're purchasing your new organic crib mattress or portable crib
mattress, look for those that say 100% organic. Also make sure that it
clearly states that they don't contain arsenic, phosphorus, or antimony.
These two little steps will ensure that you're getting a mattress that is
clean, safe, and perfect for your new little angel. Visit Absolutely Organic Baby for a 100% organic crib mattress.
Article reviews
Post your review
[ Note : no HTML/URLs - will removed automatically ]
More articles from Home and Family > Babies Toddler
|
