Posted on Jul 27, 2023
Weighted infant sleepwear is meant to help babies rest better. Critics say it's risky
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https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/ [login to see] /weighted-infant-sleepwear-safety
From pacifiers to white noise machines, there is a bevy of products marketed toward notoriously tired new parents that claim to calm babies and help them sleep better.
Among some of the newer offerings are weighted infant sleepwear such as swaddles and sleep sacks that — like weighted blankets for adults — are touted as a way to reduce anxiety and have a soothing effect on the wearer.
But a growing number of doctors and safe sleep advocates are warning about the potential dangers of weighted sleepwear for infants. Babies' bodies are still developing, critics say, and the added heft of weighted clothing could make it harder for infants to breathe, pump blood and move around.
"We do recommend swaddling. We do recommend pacifiers. We recommend rocking and shushing," Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician at the University of Virginia, told NPR. "There are a lot of things that you can do, but please don't use a weighted blanket or swaddle."
From pacifiers to white noise machines, there is a bevy of products marketed toward notoriously tired new parents that claim to calm babies and help them sleep better.
Among some of the newer offerings are weighted infant sleepwear such as swaddles and sleep sacks that — like weighted blankets for adults — are touted as a way to reduce anxiety and have a soothing effect on the wearer.
But a growing number of doctors and safe sleep advocates are warning about the potential dangers of weighted sleepwear for infants. Babies' bodies are still developing, critics say, and the added heft of weighted clothing could make it harder for infants to breathe, pump blood and move around.
"We do recommend swaddling. We do recommend pacifiers. We recommend rocking and shushing," Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician at the University of Virginia, told NPR. "There are a lot of things that you can do, but please don't use a weighted blanket or swaddle."
Weighted infant sleepwear is meant to help babies rest better. Critics say it's risky
Posted from npr.org
Children
Safety
University of Virginia
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 1
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My daughter took a pacifier one time. She sucked on it for about 30 seconds and realized there weren't any groceries coming out of it and never took it again. She only cried when she was hungry, dirty, or sleepy...other than that she smiled and laughed a lot. I don't think I would use the weighted blanket thought for the reasons listed. But an attentive parent can know what thier baby needs.
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