MISS Foundation News Release - SIDS

Soft bedding found to be hazardous to infants
Arizona company teams with the MISS Foundation for safer alternative to crib blankets

Anthem, AZ - Despite the Consumer Product Safety Commission stating that soft bedding in the crib may be hazardous to babies under 12 months old, parents across the country continue to unwittingly endanger their child’s safety by using crib blankets, bumper pads and other soft bedding. The risk is unnecessary and the solution is practically old-fashioned in Europe – and lauded by many U.S. pediatricians, health experts and now the MISS Foundation (www.missfoundation.org), an international organization that supports grieving families after a child’s death and educates on infant death prevention and awareness. Earthwalk Design LLC is proud to announce their partnership with the MISS Foundation to promote safer sleep practices for babies under 12 months of age. Their mutual goal is to spread the word about the potential risks of soft bedding by offering infant and toddler “sleep sacks” as a safer alternative to standard crib blankets. A portion of proceeds will be donated back to the MISS Foundation.

“Sleep sacks are wearable blankets that cannot be kicked off or cover a baby’s face,” states Christina Alborn, owner of Earthwalk Design and www.pampersack.com. “Our PamperSack™ sleep sacks are not a garment, but are worn over pajamas. They keep a baby warm like a blanket would, but won’t cover a baby’s face like soft, loose bedding can.” Sleep sacks have been used extensively in Europe for the last thirty years.

Soft bedding, rebreathing and the SIDS factor

Soft bedding has been linked to a condition called “rebreathing.” Rebreathing occurs when bedding molds around or covers a baby’s face as they sleep, creating a stale pocket of expired air eventually reduced to carbon dioxide. Oceanside, CA, based pediatrician Dr. Douglas Stein states, “It has been established that rebreathing, when infants breathe their own exhaled air, is a theory associated with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Laying infants to sleep on their backs has reduced the incidence of SIDS, but babies can still roll and therefore soft bedding is to be discouraged.”

“My goal is not to be an alarmist or to give parents a false sense of security,” says Alborn. “I just firmly believe in reducing identified risk factors until we have more information.” Joanne Cacciatore, CEO and Founder of the MISS Foundation, echoes the sentiment by stating, “Sleep sacks are a common sense choice. They have been recommended by medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, to reduce bedding related mortality. If these products help to save one baby’s life, we are grateful.”