Baby and children’s mattresses, various requirements need to be meet. For a baby should be mattresses, above all, safe. That is, they should not contain pollutants, and the infant optimal sleeping support. In addition, babies grow and become more mobile. The mattress should hold through so on the infant period and also by Kicking, Romping and jumping on the bed will not permanently deform.
In the year 2018, the Foundation has test 14 baby were mattresses on their suitability tested. The key points that were checked were:
- Pollutants
- Comfort
- Durability
- Safety
In addition, there since August of 2017, the so-called ball test: It checks how the head is mounted, when the Baby sleep on the stomach rotates. A safe mattress adapts to the shape of the head of the child in such a way that the head is optimally supported. The head sinks in too deeply, the mouth and nose are covered. Then, the child threatens to smother, as the Arousal reaction is disturbed.
The result was horrifying: In the Test of Stiftung Warentest were 6 out of 14 tested baby mattresses – regardless of the price.
How do I recognize a safe baby mattress?
If you pay attention to the following characteristics, you are on the safe side:
- The logo of The blue angel or the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 to show that the products tested pollutant-free.
- On the mattress should be the Norm DIN EN 16890 be designated – these mattresses support the head storage.
- Useful mattress with reinforced edge of the stair: as soon As the Baby at the lattice high-pull can, it could, with the feet between the mattress and the edge of the bed slipping and pinching. A stable standing edge can reduce this risk.
Not needed are mattresses with a baby page and a children page, since here only small differences are, the price usually doesn’t justify it.
What is the Arousal response?
When we breathe, is the blood of vital oxygen. The body’s cells consume the oxygen and give carbon dioxide (CO2) as a waste product. This we breathe then. Gathers the air in front of the face, the CO2 Inhalation back into the body (back-breathing). The CO2-content in the blood increases, which from a certain concentration of a life-threatening.
The human body has a protective response: We Wake up (often short and unnoticed by us) on, store the head in a way that we can again breathe freely and sleep more. This reaction is called an Arousal reaction (engl. Arousal = Arousal).
In infants, this reaction is not yet fully developed and also very prone to interference , for example by infections, Smoking of the mother during pregnancy, lack of sleep, and in particular the prone position.
So babies sleep safely
The right baby mattress is an important Foundation for safe sleep. But that’s not all, infants with a good Arousal reaction have to die a significantly lower risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). So, you can help your Baby to improve the Arousal response:
- As long as you can affect, let your Baby in the supine position to sleep. Neither the stomach nor the lateral position is suitable for infants to Sleep.
- Clean baby bed To baby bed, neither pillows nor Blankets, no lamb skins, stuffed animals or bumpers. A bed canopy made of thin fabric is not a Problem, as long as you wash it regularly, so there is no dust collects.
- Sleeping bag: The sleeping bag there is no danger of the child’s head covered. Make sure that the head cannot slip through the neck. You should use a blanket, put this at the foot of the bed under the mattress, so that it cannot slip over the baby’s head.
- Temperature: The optimal sleep temperature is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius.
- Own bed: infants should sleep in my own bed, for example, in the cot or in extra bed next to the parents. The parents bed is not suitable, because through the pillows and Blankets again, there is an increased Choking and overheating is a risk.
- The parents ‘room: The best is the baby bed in the parents’ room. Experts were able to show that the nocturnal breathing sounds of the parents influence the Arousal reaction of the baby to be positive.
- Smoke-free environment: Even passive smoke can be the Arousal worse.
- Breastfeeding: Breastfed babies have better Arousal than non-breastfed children.
- Pacifier: in fact, also reduces a pacifier the risk of SIDS, by the Arousal improved.
Sources
Children’s mattresses in the Test: Each second mattress is defective. Online information is the Foundation of the test: www.stiftung-warentest.de (status: 26.9.2018)were
Kids mattresses: 14 mattresses for babies and small children in the Test. Online information is the Foundation of the test: www.stiftung-warentest.de (status: 26.9.2018)were
Short, R., Kenner, T., Poets, C., et. al: The sudden infant death syndrome. Springer, Heidelberg, 2014
Boot, A., Geist, C., Harder, U.: A Midwife’s Client. Hippocrates, Stuttgart 2013
Höfer, S., Szasz, N.: Midwives Health Knowledge. Gräfe and Unzer, Munich 2012
Gebauer-Sesterhenn, B., Pulkkinen, A., Edelmann, K.: The first 3 years of my child. Gräfe and Unzer, Munich 2011
For More Information
Onmeda-Reading Tips:
- Sleep disorders in children
- Stages of sleep: the sleep expires
28.01.2019
*The post “So your Baby sleeps safe,” is published by Onmeda. Contact with the executives here.