The danger of SIDS (crib death) can be virtually eliminated by ensuring that babies sleep on mattresses and underbedding known to be free from the elements phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. The BabeSafe range of mattresses (only available in New Zealand) complies with this requirement. All other types of crib mattress must be enclosed in a BabeSafe Safety Mattress Cover.
The BabeSafe mattress covers are made in various sizes to fit every type of baby mattress available on the market (except for the circular cribs, sorry). Some will need to be adjusted somewhat, but as long as you can fit your mattress inside the cover, it will work. BabeSafe mattress covers are made from polythene sheeting which is a certain thickness. This is important to note, because the thickness of the plastic is very important since the purpose of the cover is to keep the gases from coming through. The BabeSafe Mattress Cover was developed and is manufactured by Dr. TJ Sprott and follows his specifications for crib death prevention.
All mattresses need to be covered for crib death ("SIDS") prevention. A new mattress is no longer new as soon as your baby begins sleeping on it.
It is imperative to use the correct bedding on top of the mattress cover. Use a pure cotton (flannelette) underblanket and tuck this in securely. The underblanket may consist of cotton diapers sewn together or a 100% cotton bath towel. Do NOT use a "cotton mattress pad." No item which is padded/quilted/filled complies with the bedding specifications for use with a BabeSafe-wrapped mattress. Then make the bed using sheets and a pure cotton or pure woolen overblanket.
The "underblanket" confuses a lot of people, because this is not a standard crib bedding item. The underblanket essentially replaces the mattress pad that most people use. The purpose of the cotton underblanket is simply for baby's comfort. It provides a soft padding underneath the sheet so that the baby's sleep environment isn't "plasticky."
Do NOT use any of the following as baby bedding:
- Sheepskin or sheep fleece underlay
- Moisture-resistant cot mattress protector
- Any underblanket which is not made of pure cotton**
- Acrylic blanket
- Any blanket which contains polyester**
- Any bedding that is quilted, padded, or filled
- Sleeping bag
- Duvet
- Pillows or cushions
**Please note: Products which are quilted and labeled "100% cotton" may be filled with polyester filling. All of the quilting fabrics I have seen at Joann's were labeled cotton, but in fact filled with polyester. I do not know why this is allowed in the U.S., but it is very important that you know this when purchasing your baby's bedding.
BabeSafe mattresses and covers should be cleaned by wiping with pure soap and water. Do not use chemical bleaches or sterilants.
Information about Sheepskins
Many New Zealand sheepskins contain significant quantities of arsenic. Sheepskins have been shown by analysis to contain far more arsenic than is necessary to poison a baby by arsine gas generation.
Action of common household fungi on compounds of arsenic can lead to the generation of intensely poisonous nerve gases known as arsines. The fungal generation of arsines has been known for over a hundred years. This gas generation caused the deaths of thousands of children in Europe in the 1800s, until its cause was discovered by the Italian chemist, Gosio, in 1893.
At the Sixth SIDS International Conference in February 2000, scientist Dr W R Cullen reported proof of the generation of trimethylarsine (a form of arsine) from sheepskin intended for use as baby bedding.
The use of sheepskins as baby bedding should be discontinued.
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