Protect Baby from SIDS - The Mattress Cover Update

This is a continuation of my post called SIDS: Is There Hope? I wrote about the BabeSafe mattress covers popular in New Zealand, which have scientifically been proven that, if used properly, will protect your baby from SIDS. Mine came in the mail the other day, straight from New Zealand to my door in the U.S. in 7 days.

The mattress cover is a thin but very durable food-grade polyethylene ("polythene" in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand). There's no odor and it does not outgas. It's also quite easy to use. Imagine putting your baby's mattress in a very large freezer bag, and instead of the zip on the end, it's an adhesive tape. It did take us awhile to get the trapped air out of the bag, but there are air holes on the bottom side, so with a little time we were able to work the air out.

Babies are at risk for SIDS up to one year of age, and boys are at more risk than girls. I thought my little boy was in the safe zone after about 6 months, but when I found out it was up to a year, I was happy to spring the 30 bucks for this cover. If you'd like to protect the mattress your baby sleeps on, you can get more information from the FAQ page of Cot Life 2000. You'll also find a lot of info on SIDS in general. For the cover itself, check out www.preventcribdeath.com.