We do everything we can for our newborns, especially give them warmth. But some midwives are warning that wrapping our babies in polar fleece, while good-intentioned, could have dangerous consequences.
Midwives in Whanganui, New Zealand are raising awareness about the dangers of polar fleece. “As midwives in the maternity unit, we don’t support the use of polar fleece blankets,” midwife Angela Adam told the New Zealand Herald.
The main problem is that the synthetic fibers in polar fleece are woven too tightly and the fabric isn’t breathable. “I don’t think the general public realize exactly what [polar fleece blankets] are made of and how that can cause your baby to overheat,” said midwife Lucy Pettit.
When a baby is wrapped in a polar fleece blanket, air is unable to circulate around the child’s body. The baby then becomes too hot and sweats. Unable to evaporate, that sweat stays on on the child’s body, eventually causing the baby to become too cold.
The midwives say that being either too hot or too cold can contribute to sudden, unexpected death in infancy, or SUDI. And while there hasn’t been confirmation of this yet, Adam said, “It’s actually the overheating that can contribute to SUDI or cot death, but polar fleece blankets contribute to overheating.”
So what can you do to protect your little one? Only wrap them with blankets made from breathable fibers like wool. Wool blankets keep your baby warm, allow for air to circulate around your baby’s body, and help any sweat to wick away from him or her.
And they’ll give you comfort too, knowing your little one is safe and sound.
Please share this with the parents you know to help raise awareness about this potential danger.
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