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New Year Crib Safety Checklist For Parents

Becoming a new parent is a blessing in so many ways. Along with all of the amazing first moments, there are also challenges, such as keeping baby out of harm’s way. As 2021 brings new opportunities and refreshed priorities, let one of your resolutions be to keep your little one as safe as possible in their crib. 

 

Your baby will often be unattended when in his or her crib, so this should be a completely safe environment. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs. In 80 percent of these cases, babies were either sleeping in an adult bed or in their crib/bassinet with pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, fluffy bumpers or loose clothing. 

 

With COVID-19 unfortunately being so widespread, it is one more potential stressor for babies and parents. So Colgate Mattress wants to lighten your load a bit by helping you make sure infants have the safest sleep environment possible. We encourage you to follow the below checklist from the Safe Sleep Guidelines developed by The American Academy of Pediatrics: 

 

Back To Sleep For Every Sleep

  • Infants should be placed for sleep in a supine position (wholly on the back) for every sleep by every caregiver until the child reaches 1 year of age.  
  • Side sleeping is not safe and is not advised. 
  • Skin-to-Skin is care is recommended for all mothers and newborns, regardless of feeding or delivery method, immediately following birth (as soon as the mother is medically stable and awake) for at least an hour. Thereafter, or when the mother needs to sleep or take care of other needs, infants should be placed supine in a bassinet. 

 

Use A Firm Sleep Surface

  • Infants should be placed on a firm sleep surface (eg, mattress in a safety-approved crib) covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft objects to reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation. 
  • Infants should never be left to sleep on sofas, armchairs or in sitting devices. 
  • Soft bedding remains a risk for infants older than 4 months 

 

Keep Soft Objects And Loose Bedding Away From The Infant’s Sleep Area 

  • Soft objects such as pillows and pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and loose bedding can obstruct an infant’s nose and mouth.  
  • Infant sleep clothing is preferable to blankets and other coverings to keep the infant warm 
  • Bumper pads are similar products that attach to crib slats or sides are not recommended for infants. 
  • A large percentage of infants who die of SIDS are found with their head covered by bedding. Therefore, no pillows, sheets, blankets, or any other items that could obstruct infant breathing or cause overheating should be in the bed. 

 

Room Share Without Bed Sharing

  • Infants should sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed, but on a separate surface (room sharing). The infant’s crib, portable crib, play yard or bassinet should be placed in the parent’s bedroom for at least 6 months, but preferably a year. 
  • Even though it is not recommended that infants sleep on the same surface as the parents, there are times when parents may fall asleep while feeding their infant. Evidence suggests that it is less hazardous to fall asleep with the infant in the adult bed than on a sofa or armchair, should the parent fall asleep.  
  • Because there is evidence that the risk of bedsharing is higher with longer duration, if the parent falls asleep while feeding the infant in bed, the infant should be placed back on a separate sleep surface as soon as the parent awakens. 

 

Explore more recommendations and relevant resources to create a safe sleep environment for your baby at The American Academy of Pediatrics’ website.

Some Good Things That DID Happen in 2020

Needless to say, this year wasn’t what we expected, but it allowed our team to connect with more families than ever. In 2020, Colgate Mattress® celebrated our 65th anniversary as the most trusted crib mattress name for new parents. 

Since 1955, we’ve set out to provide new parents with the very best quality and safest crib mattresses made in the U.S. In celebration of our recent achievements and anniversary milestone, we’re sharing our favorite moments to come out of the pandemic that will remind you how we got through it together.  

 

We Shifted Gears To Make Masks During COVID-19 Pandemic

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we shifted the focus of a portion of our factory employees from handcrafting crib mattresses to creating masks that were donated to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. These masks were a collaborative effort across the company, from hospital outreach to mask design to sewing and manufacturing. Together, the Colgate family donated around 3,000 masks to local healthcare workers and patient families.

“When COVID-19 began impacting our community, we knew we had to help,” said Colgate Mattress Vice President Richard Wolkin. “Through our mask-making efforts, we’re honored to give back to the community that has given us so much in a small way.”

 

Colgate Was The First Crib Mattress Participant Ever Welcomed Into The JPMA Certification Program 

The Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (JPMA) Certification Seal signifies a product meets the strictest safety standards in today’s marketplace. To become certified, each product is rigorously tested at an independent laboratory. 

The main purpose of JPMA Certification for consumers is to remove the safety-related guess work from the buying decision and to encourage parents to look for the JPMA Certification Seal as a symbol of quality, safety, performance and functionality.

 

We Talked To Moms About COVID-19 Mental Wellness

It’s not just you – the pandemic raised stress for all parents and anxiety was at an all-time high this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for child support from family and friends probably changed or may have been cancelled altogether. Losing your support system only added to the mental overload. 

Whether you’re a professional mom, a seasoned mom of multiples or expecting your first baby, prioritizing your emotional care isn’t easy. We rounded up a list of mama lifelines to help you survive when all the odds are against you. 

 

Colgate Became a JPMA Baby Safety Month Ambassador

During September, JPMA focused on educating parents and caregivers on the safe selection and use of juvenile products, while encouraging baby and children’s industry leaders to become safety ambassadors through public engagement. 

As a Baby Safety Month Ambassador, Colgate Mattress is committed to helping parents understand safe sleep practices to ensure your baby’s first years are safe, sound and happy. It’s always a great time to reassess your routine to ensure you’re using healthy habits, best practices and safety precautions to keep your baby as safe as possible. 

 


2020 Awards & Recognition

For 65 years Colgate Mattress has worked tirelessly to earn the trust of parents and along the way we’ve been recognized by industry groups and consumer product organizations for producing some of the highest quality crib mattresses anywhere. While the health and safety of your baby is our primary focus, we are honored by all the recognition.

 

2020 Cribsie Awards

Colgate Mattress’ Goodnight Owl Crib Mattress won an Academy Star in the 2019-2020 Cribsie Awards for New Arrivals. We scored amongst the highest ratings in the categories of Innovation, Design and Utility!

Twiniversity 2020 Best Crib Mattress

Our Eco Classica III was named 2020 Best Crib Mattress for twins by Twiniversity. This is the second consecutive year Colgate was named to the Twinnie Award List, which includes everything a twin parent could need!

Baby Maternity 2020 Top Choice Award

Colgate’s Regal Robin Crib Mattress won a 2020 Top Choice of the Year Award in the Crib Mattress category! This awards program is unique in that all products submitted are reviewed by expectant mothers, new moms, and baby caregivers.