Thursday, January 5, 2012

The (Strict) New Safe-Sleeping Guidelines

With the impeding arrival of our newest family member, I am trying to catch up on all the baby safety basics.  I forgot how much there was to know!  Even though it has only been a fast two and a half years, recommendations have already changed. 

I found this article on Parents.com and felt that it was important for anyone who has a baby younger than one year of age to be aware of these changes.  Please read or pass on to those who can use this information.

"If you have a baby younger than 1 year of age, chances are that he or she is sleeping in a way that goes against the latest recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). At the AAP’s national conference in Boston, which wraps up today, the Academy released their revised policy statement on safe sleeping and SIDS prevention.
Until babies are 1 year old, they should:

  • Be put to sleep on their back. Always, always, always. At some point, your baby will be able to roll from her back to her front and from her front to her back—and at that point, you can leave her in whatever position she ends up.
  • Sleep in the same room as—but not the same bed as—their parents. To keep a baby in your room until age 1 may seem… let’s say… difficult, but “these recommendations are most important in the first few months,” says pediatrician Rachel Moon, M.D, lead author of the new guidelines and chair of the AAP SIDS task force. Bedsharing is not recommended at any age, even if you’re using an actual cosleeping device that attaches to the side of your bed. “No bedsharing can be classified as safe,” says Dr. Moon, who adds that babies under 3 months are at a “very, very high risk” of suffocation.
  • Use a pacifier as often as possible. Pacifiers are associated with a decreased risk of SIDS, perhaps because it may position the tongue in a way that helps keep the airways open, Dr. Moon says. Pacifiers also tend to arouse babies as they sleep (I’ll say! Who else has experienced that sinking feeling every time their newborn’s pacifier popped out of her mouth and woke her up?!), and when babies are able to be easily woken, their risk of SIDS goes down.
  • Be breastfed. Lots of research backs up the positive connection between nursing and SIDS risk reduction.
  • Be fully immunized. There may be a protective effect here, too; evidence points to a 50 percent decrease in the risk of SIDS.
  • Not have anything in their cribs (or bassinets or Pack & Plays) except a tight-fitting sheet. No bumpers—not even the mesh kind. (Chicago now bans the sale of bumpers.) No stuffed animals. No pillows. No blankets. Nothing between the mattress and the sheet to make the surface softer. (“Soft does not equal safe,” says Dr. Moon. “Soft is bad.”) No elevating the head of the crib mattress by propping pillows underneath it, either, because babies can slide down to the bottom of the crib and end up in a position that obstructs their airway, or get wedged between the mattress and the side of the crib.
  • Not sleep in a car seat, stroller, swing, or sling for more than 60-90 minutes, and even then only under close supervision. Nothing but a crib, bassinet, or Pack & Play is recommended for extended periods of sleep. If your baby falls asleep in one of those other places, Dr. Moon recommends moving him as soon as is practical. Otherwise, they run the risk of sliding or slumping down and boosting the chance of suffocation.
  • Not sleep with the help of any products marketed as reducing the risk of SIDS. This goes for wedges, positioners, and home apnea monitors. “Parents believe that if a product is sold, it must be safe. They don’t always understand that these items don’t have to be tested or proven to work in order to be in stores,” says Dr. Moon.
She made an important point about why some parents don’t follow safe sleep recommendations. “Everybody thinks their baby is the exception to the rule,” she explains. “They’ll say ‘My baby has reflux.’ ‘My baby was premature.’ ‘My baby’s not a good sleeper.’” But she sees more than her share of infant deaths—at least one per month in her hometown of Washington, D.C. “We have to get the message out.”

To read more about this subject, check out the link below:
http://www.parents.com/blogs/goodyblog/2011/10/the-strict-new-safe-sleeping-guidelines/?sssdmh=dm17.561868&esrc=nwpmmdailytip112111&email=1793160698

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Disney Fairies Sky High Tink Review

Calling all Disney Fairy fans!  Here is a cute toy for girls who love fairies, especially Tinkerbell.  Introducing Disney Sky High Tink Doll.  Tinkerbell is adorable with her flying fairy wings and is fun to play with just as she is.  But, what makes this toy even more fun is the pink rose flowered base that Tinkerbell comes with.  From this base, you can watch Tinkerbell fly into the air over and over again.  You can make Tinkerbell fly in a few easy steps.  First, easily insert Tinkerbell into the base, then give her a twist.  Next, pull the string and watch her wings rotate in a spinning motion that will launch her into the air.  Lastly, watch her fly out of the flower! 

Although Mason is young for this toy, I wanted to check it out and see for myself how much fun it could be.  Set up of the toy was a breeze and there are no batteries required, which is always a plus in my book.  Once realizing the proper way to hold the toy, getting Tinkerbell to fly was not difficult after a few tries.  I did not experience her flying 10 feet in the air, but she did go a few feet up before landing on the ground.  Mason wanted to play with Sky High Tink right away and once I showed him how to properly insert Tinkerbell and pull the string, he was off and playing. 


One very important note is that Tinkerbell WILL NOT launch if the device is held at an angle – this is intentional as it is a safety mechanism to prevent injury to people standing nearby. Kids MUST hold Tinkerbell and her rose bud vertically for the toy to properly work.  Again, since Mason is young for this toy, my husband and I both helped him to hold it the proper way.  He loved watching the spinning motion and giggled each time he got enough momentum going for Tinkerbell to fly out of the flower.  I think a child of 5 would be able to play with this toy independently with no problem.  Otherwise, they might get somewhat frustrated if they forget to hold the toy properly and the string is unable to be pulled.

Right now, Target is the exclusive retailer of the Disney Fairies Sky High Tink Doll with more availability in Spring 2012.  It retails for $16.99 and is recommended for ages 4 and up.



JAKKS Pacific provided me with the item above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine,.