So I suck at this post every day for a month thing. Oh well! I tried at least. Maybe next time.
I came across this article today and thought I would share it. There are so many misconceptions and misinformation about cosleeping, that it’s nice to see an article about the dangers of cribs for once. (Not that I ever want to hear about any babies being harmed, but I’m glad the information is getting out there for parents to see.) I firmly believe that cosleeping, when combined with common sense, is far safer and definitely a more natural way for babies to sleep. (And there is no nicer way to wake up than seeing your child grinning up at you in the morning.)
One of my half-written posts is actually on the joys and benefits of cosleeping (and a rebuttal to some of the “dangers”), but I’ll leave that for another post and just concentrate on cribs for this one. Here is a quote from the article.
Though cribs are designed for a family to leave a baby unattended for many hours at a time, they are the most deadly nursery product. One missing screw, one broken spindle or one loose mattress support can turn a crib into a deathtrap.
It made a good point at the end.
Rachel Weintraub, director of product safety at the Consumer Federation of America, wonders whether crib companies, in an effort to compete on price, have cut corners on designs and materials and failed to institute strong quality-control checks at factories overseas.
“Is the quest to produce lower cost cribs leading to a sacrifice on the quality of the wood and other parts?” Weintraub asks. “They are making their products overseas, so they’re getting the benefit, but they’re not taking additional measures to deal with increased risk.”
With all the attention China has been getting in the news in the last year: adding melamine to their dairy products, lead paint, etc., it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they are also cutting corners when making cribs.
I only wish the article had mentioned cosleeping as a safe and viable alternative to cribs. It’s great to get the information out to parents about how dangerous they can be, since I don’t think many parents realize how many accidents happen every year in cribs, but without giving them alternatives it may not change much.
Related posts:
Cribs just don’t make sense any way you think about it. Great post!
I think cribs are OK if moms and dads use them for peaceful sleeping only when the baby is ready and happy to sleep in one. I can’t stand that babies get thrown in them to scream and yell, cry and protest, to give mom a break, etc. IMHO it’s gross that parents think it beneficial for them to “learn” how to self soothe themselves to sleep. What they really learn is that mom and dad just won’t show up for them and that they must give in and give up and then they roll over tired and exhausted from pleading… That is the real danger of cribs!
That’s true. I know parents who have used cribs who are very respectful of their children and would never let them cry it out. Honestly, it sounds exhausting to me lol. I don’t know how those parents get through the weeks of baby teething and waking up every hour or more to nurse. I agree with Annie though, really it just makes so much more sense to me to have the baby right there with you so they never have to cry to get your attention at all!