Head Flattening (Plagiocephaly)

Many parents become concerned about their baby's sleeping position in the crib. Traditional crib death (SIDS) prevention advice states that babies within the crib death risk age must always sleep face-up. However, continuous face-up sleeping poses risk that babies will develop head flattening or head distortion (plagiocephaly). Also, many babies prefer other sleeping positions to face-up.

A baby sleeping on a BabeSafe-wrapped mattress (and using the specified bedding) does not need to sleep face-up, because the baby cannot become exposed to the gases which cause crib death. Therefore the baby can sleep in any sleeping position with no risk of crib death.

If a baby is sleeping on a BabeSafe-wrapped mattress, the impermeable cover has the result that even if the gas generation which causes crib death is occurring within the mattress, no gases can reach the baby. Furthermore, use of the specified bedding has the result that this gas generation cannot occur on top of the wrapped mattress.

On a BabeSafe-wrapped mattress, side-sleeping is strongly recommended (alternating from side to side for consecutive sleeps).

Side-sleeping has the following benefits:

(a) The risk of head flattening or head distortion is eliminated.

(b) If the baby has reflux, this is likely to be dribbled out onto bedding. A reflux choking episode is less likely to occur if a baby is sleeping on his or her side than if the baby is sleeping face-up.

To side-sleep your baby, place the baby on the lower crib sheet on his or her side, and extend the lower arm diagonally across the mattress. Then tuck the baby in using the upper sheet.

To avoid crib death (SIDS) and head flattening (plagiocephaly), sleep your baby on a BabeSafe-wrapped mattress, and use the side-sleeping position.