The days and nights of soft cuddly bedding for babies are over...

It’s hard to resist buying soft and cuddly stuff for a new baby...

Just be sure that cozy item won’t be used for bedding. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been recommending that parents avoid placing their babies on soft sleep surfaces, because that can greatly increase the risk of SIDS – or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Unfortunately, some consumers are not heading that warning. Soft bedding, blankets and bumpers might seem like they would protect a baby – but there are far too many cases of tragic suffocation and strangulation blamed on infant bedding.

A baby’s crib should have a firm mattress and be free of blankets and bumpers, stuffed animals or pillows of any kind. Preventing SIDS goes beyond the crib. Avoid letting an infant lay or sleep on other soft surfaces such as the sofa, sheepskin or foam pads – and keep stuffed animals and other cuddly stuff out of their car seats too.