Losing a child is undoubtedly the most terrible and painful time that parents can live. That is why Dexy wanted to alert other families so that they do not suffer the same as she is suffering, sharing the story of her daughter, who she died suffocated by a stuffed animal while she slept.
The testimony of this Scottish mother is heartbreaking, but she hopes that all parents will become aware of the safety guidelines they should put into practice when sleeping their babies.
I wanted to prevent him from falling out of bed
Connie Rose was 18 months old and was a happy and healthy girl who lived with her parents and her older sister in her home in Scotland. But during the early hours of March 6, the little girl got caught while sleeping under her stuffed animals and died asphyxiated.
Her mother explains to The Independent newspaper, that in her eagerness to prevent the girl from falling to the floor, she covered every night the gap between the mattress of her bed and the wall with numerous stuffed animals of different sizes. But, unfortunately, the little girl suffocated by being trapped under a big bear.
This was explained by his mother on his Facebook page, in an attempt to warn other parents about the dangers of babies sleeping surrounded by soft dolls:
"On March 6 at eight in the morning my life changed. I woke up to take my oldest daughter to school and I found that my second daughter, my baby, had died. I blame myself since then because my daughter died asphyxiated, since I had filled one of the holes in his bed with a lot of stuffed animals, to prevent him from falling over there. But my daughter got trapped under a big teddy bear, and slept with the angels "
"All I think now is that if I had left that gap free, she would be here now; maybe with a little bump on her head. But that would be all."
"Therefore I want to alert all parents, to realize this. Do not try to fill the holes in the crib or bed with stuffed animals or blankets. Simply, leave it free and empty. My daughter had a gap between her bed and the wall that I covered with stuffed animals, and that will be my biggest regret in this life. Please, Remove all stuffed animals from your children's bed".
"Before, my oldest daughter had her bed full of Princess stuffed animals, cushions and canopies. But now I know you don't need any of that. I really hope that the tragic story of my baby can save the lives of other children. "
"I miss you, Connie. I'm so glad you were my little girl, and that you have made me a strong mother for your older sister. Thank you for being the most perfect and adorable baby. Everyone in the family is broken from pain. I hope you're having fun princess. Sleep well "
Undoubtedly, this mother's heartbreaking message puts the creeps. Now, Dexy just wants to find the peace she has long lost, sharing his story and helping other parents raise awareness.
His story has quickly gone viral and has been shared by numerous media outlets that have echoed his warnings. In addition, thanks to the generous contributions of several anonymous people, Dexy will be able to see her dream of placing a tombstone in honor of her daughter in the garden where she liked playing so much.
At bedtime, no stuffed animals, no pillows, no blankets
The Spanish Association of Pediatrics developed guidelines for babies to sleep safely, reducing the risk of sudden infant death, which affects one of 2,000 babies under one year.
In the baby's crib there should be nothing but the baby But not all babies who die at night do so because of sudden death syndrome. Some, like the case of little Connie, they die of suffocation, because they are wrapped in blankets, under a cushion or because, in some way, they are not able to breathe properly.
In any case, the measures to prevent this type of death are very similar, and we should keep them in mind when it comes to sleeping our baby:
Among the first, and most important recommendation would be to place the baby on his back at bedtime as long as he doesn't know how to move freely or change his position. So, as long as they are small, neither sideways, nor of course upside down are safe postures.
Do not shelter the child in excess when he sleeps.
Use a firm mattress, since soft mattresses allow the baby to be more "wrapped" and there is a greater risk of suffocation. The bottom sabanita must be tight and wrinkle free.
Likewise, the crib or bed should always be as clear as possible and remember that both the protectors or chichoneras, as any soft object, would increase the danger of choking the baby and trapping.
In this sense, the stuffed animals are dangerous because of the risk of suffocation, and the cushions, roll cushions and pillows would have the same problem: they are soft, can be moved and can end up on the baby's head.
Both the AEP and the American Pediatric Association advise against the use of pillows during the first two years of the baby's life. From this age is when they would need it to sleep comfortably.
Neither face down nor with stuffed animals around For the same reason blankets should be avoided, since the baby could get trapped under them and suffocate. At bedtime, the ideal is to opt for only a pajama, although if we think that only with this garment our baby could go cold, we can resort to the sleeping bag that covers the body but never the head, paying attention to the fact that The baby can't slip in.
The babies they should sleep in their parents room to prevent sudden death. The AEP recommends doing so until a minimum of six months, while the American Pediatric Association recommends extending it to 12 months.
As for sharing a bed with the parents, it is not recommended until the baby has reached at least three months, and always following strict safety measures. Nor should you sleep with the baby on the couch.
It has been shown that the use of the pacifier during sleep It has a protective effect against sudden infant death syndrome. Although we remember the importance of withdrawing it in time to avoid oral health problems.
Avoid tobacco during pregnancy, and when the baby is born also prevent parents from smoking. And it has been shown that when a smoker sleeps with a baby less than three months, increases the risk of sudden death up to nine times. From this age the risk decreases, although tobacco will continue to cause other problems such as respiratory infections or worsening asthma.
Breastfeeding would help reduce the risk of sudden infant death by half.
Let's also remember that babies they should never sleep in the car seats, or spend too much time in them, since they could be at risk of postural asphyxiation.
Via The Independent
In Babies and More The 16 things you should do to prevent sudden death of the baby ,, Sudden death, Why babies should not use a pillow ,, Should I turn the baby over if it turns on its stomach while sleeping? that the baby should not sleep with soft bedding, many parents still use it
