There are several baby sleep products that, despite how they are marketed, are widely considered unsafe.

For this reason, I don't recommend using them in your baby's crib.

In this article you'll learn what these baby sleep products are, and why they may pose a potential risk to babies when allowed to sleep with them.

Even though some of these products may seem completely harmless, they may increase the risk of suffocation, overheating, positional asphyxiation and more.

Unsafe Items to Get Out of Your Baby's Crib ASAP

Sleep Risk 1

The existence of a product on the market does not necessarily mean that it is safe.

Particularly when it comes to sleep.

In fact, there are products on the market right now that are being sold despite considerable evidence that these significantly increase the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy.

The first product you want to throw out of your baby's crib is an incline sleeper or a wedge.

So these products allow your baby to sleep on an angle.

The theory behind that, being that when they sleep at an angle, they're less likely to spit up and have reflux.

But a systematic review completed by Craig and colleagues in 2004, found that when you sleep a baby on an incline surface while lying on their back, it has no impact at all on whether or not they experience reflux.

Also, when a baby is sleeping on an incline surface, their chin naturally drops towards their chest.

And this reduces the amount of airflow they receive, which can lead to positional asphyxiation.

Furthermore, research completed by Mennan and her team, found that the incline surface actually activated the baby's tummy muscles, which made it easier for the baby to lift their head and roll from their back onto their tummy.

And once the baby accidentally rolled onto their tummy, the incline surface makes it significantly harder for the baby to get out of this position, which can lead to suffocation.

Sleep Risk 2

Which leads me onto the next item that you need to get rid of.

And this might be a little bit hard for some parents.

Soft, fluffy toys might look absolutely adorable in a baby's crib, but they can pose a very real danger to a baby.

Soft, fluffy toys can cover a baby's mouth or nose, and this can impact how well they breathe, which can lead to suffocation.

Due to this increased risk, Red Nose Australia recommend that all soft toys are kept out of a baby's crib until the baby is at least seven months of age.

And that's because research suggests that at seven months of age, babies may receive a little bit of comfort from a soft toy, which can help ease that separation anxiety.

But before seven months of age, babies do not receive comfort from a soft toy.

Sleep Risk 3

Now the next one might surprise you, but before we get into that, while we're on the topic of sleep, make sure you download my free new parents guide to naps, which you can find by clicking the link in the description box below.

So, what is the next item you need to get rid of? It is crib bumpers.

Now crib bumpers are marketed as essential products needed to stop your baby from injuring themselves when they accidentally hit the slats on the side of the crib, as well as a way to prevent them from slipping through the slats.

But modern cribs actually have tighter slats, so there is no way that your baby is going to actually slip through the slats in the first place.

And even if they do bump themselves or accidentally slip their arm through a slat, it is more of an inconvenience to us, rather than a safety concern for your baby.

In addition to not actually providing any real benefit, crib bumpers can also be dangerous for babies.

When a baby rolls over they can become wedged against the crib bumper, and this can result in overheating, which is a known risk factor for SIDS.

Also, if a baby does accidentally roll over and their face is covered by the padding of a crib bumper, it can affect their breathing and lead to suffocation.

In fact, due to the proven suffocation, risk crib bumpers are actually illegal in some states of America.

Sleep Risk 4

Loose sheets and blankets also don't belong in a baby's crib.

And that's because these items can accidentally cover a baby's mouth, which can obstruct their breathing and result in suffocation.

Also loose, soft bedding can actually result in overheating, which in turn increases the risk of SIDS.

This is in line with the recommendations of Red Nose Australia, as well as the National Institute of Health in the USA.

To reduce the risk posed by loose sheets and blankets, it's recommended that babies in that newborn phase, sleep in a swaddle, or they sleep in a safe sleeping bag on a firm mattress, which is covered by a clean, tight fitted sheet.

Sleep Risk 5

The next item you want to get rid of, are sleep positioners.

Now sleep positioners are any item that claim to keep a baby still or in the same position when they're in the crib, or create a kind of nest or cocoon around the baby.

Sleep positioners claim that they can actually stop a baby from rolling onto their tummy, which in effect will reduce the risk of SIDS, but contrary to these claims, they actually may raise the risk of SIDS.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Red Nose Australia, recommend that babies do not use sleep positioners, and that's for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the soft padding can make it difficult for the baby to breathe if their face is pressed against it.

Also, these products do not stop a baby from rolling over.

And when they do accidentally roll over, they often become trapped in these devices or against the soft padding which can lead to unfortunate events like suffocation.

Sleep Risk 6

You may also think that your little one might need a pillow, and that might be to give them a little bit of comfort or to prevent positional plagiocephaly.

But pillows, including the pillows marketed as reducing the risk of positional plagiocephaly need to stay outta your baby's cot because they increase the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy.

And that's for multiple reasons.

Firstly, when a baby is lying on a pillow, their chin naturally drops towards their chest, and this obstructs their airway, which can lead to positional asphyxiation.

Also pillows tend to result in overheating, which is a known risk factor for SIDS.

And lastly, a pillow might accidentally cover your baby's mouth or nose, which can obstruct their breathing and result in suffocation.

In fact, Red Nose Australia recommend holding off on giving your little one a pillow until they're at least two years of age and they're no longer sleeping in a port-a-cot or a crib.

Baby Development