With National SIDS awareness month coming this October it is a good idea to look at a parent’s option to provide a safe sleep environment. It all starts with what is put on the baby’s skin. A high quality merino fabric is second to none when it comes to ensuring your baby is comfortable and safe.
Merino is 100% natural and allergy-safe. So if a baby has allergy possibilities merino is a safe bet. Not to mention that synthetic fabrics can have coatings that irritate a baby’s vulnerable soft skin. Merino is also extremely soft and nothing like scratchy wool; it’s more like a silky cashmere for a babes body. Babies have a hard time staying warm and at the same time find it hard to not get too hot. Merino has the natural ability to regulate temperature. Fire safety is a big issue in the baby world. Many clothes come with fire-retardant coating, but merino is naturally fire retardant. Last but not certainly least merino is practical for mothers and fathers needing a durable fabric that can be thrown in the washer and dryer.
A high quality pure unbleached merino is safe to use with babies with allergies. Most babies have soft sensitive skin. Merino is perfect for sensitive skin and even for children with eczema. That is more than can be said about synthetic fabrics like polyester.
Synthetic fabric like polyester is also extremely flammable. In order to meet strict childrenswear regulations a fire-retardant coating is put on synthetics. The side-effect to adding these chemicals is that chemicals irritate baby skin. With merino you get the chemical free fabric that is naturally fire-resistant therefore it doesn’t need any coatings. Merino is so fire-resistant that fire fighters use merino in their fire-safe clothing. Even fire fighters want to be safe and comfortable.
A high quality merino is probably the most comfortable natural fabric known to man. Merino wool is one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. It has a silk-like softness and provides a gentle touch to a baby’s body.
Inside of the super fine merino strands lay millions of tiny air pockets. These air pockets trap air to insulate a baby’s body. Newnborns can take up to a year to develop the capability to regulate their own body temperature. One of the known causes of SIDS is baby overheating and if a baby cant regulate it temperature for up to a year it is a parents job to use a nurturing fabric like merino. With just a few degree change in room temperature a baby can wake up cold or overheat. Merino has the remarkable natural ability to regulate a baby’s body temperature and compensate for the room temperature change. Those millions of tiny air pockets capture and circulate air to moderate temperature while releasing moisture if the baby get hot.
In fact merino naturally has the superior ability to absorb moisture and move it away from the skin whereas polyester can move moisture but is virtually unable to absorb the moisture to get it moving. Using merino keeps babies warmer and dryer than anything else.
The next best way to avoid SIDS is by using a baby sleep sack also known as a baby sleep bag, go-go bag, or grow bag. A well designed baby sleep sack can reduce the risk of SIDS.
Some studies have shown that 25% of SIDS babies are found with a blanket over their face. With a baby sleep sack it is virtually impossible to cover the baby’s face and a baby sleep sack eliminates the need for extra blankets. “Head covering is identified as a risk factor of cot death and the Foundation for the Study of Infant deaths (FSID) advocates the use of baby sleeping bags as a safe alternative to sheets and blankets.”
This leads to the best combination to promote baby safe sleep and the prevention of SIDS. Find a high quality merino baby sleep sack. The ” Merino Kids (baby sleep sack) was awarded the Seal of Outstanding Design Quality in the prestigious International Forum Product Design Awards for its world-leading innovation in introducing merino fabric baby sleeping bags, and for the quality and practicality of the sleeping bag design itself. Secured by a full-length zip down one side and nickel-free poppers at the shoulder, the Merino Kids Baby Sleep Bag conveniently opens up flat for easy dressing and unzips from the bottom up for quick nappy checks and changes in the night. The high quality self-locking zip is carefully sewn inside the sleeping bag lining so it won’t scratch your baby’s skin, and there are no harsh and noisy velcro patches.”
If a product exists that ensures the merino benefits of fire-resistance, temperature regulation, moisture movement, and comfort then it is the Merino Kids baby sleep sacks. The Merino Kids Baby Sleep Bag can be found at babysleepbags.com for people in the USA and at babysleepbags.co.uk for parents in the rest of the world.
