Rock-a-buy, baby

From traditional sarongs and cots to newfangled rockers and nest beds, which should you get for your newborn? The experts weigh in.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

From traditional sarongs and cots to newfangled rockers and nest beds, which should you get for your newborn? The experts weigh in.

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Gone are the days when caregivers relied on the sarong cradle to soothe a newborn.

Parents now have a dazzling array of bedtime options for their babies – from cots that can be placed beside an adult bed with one side lowered, to self-rocking electronic cradles.

Still, experts say the safest option is neither a co-sleeping cot nor a sarong cradle. It is a traditional crib with a firm mattress, with no drop sides or wide gaps between slats.

Associate Professor Song Kee Hong from the National University of Singapore’s School of Design and Environment says: “Most cribs should be safe under normal conditions. But poorly designed cribs with drop sides have been known to cause accidental strangulation deaths.

In 2011, the US banned the sale of drop-side cribs amid safety concerns, as babies could get trapped – sometimes fatally – in the gaps created if the drop sides came loose.

In the UK, there was public outcry in 2015 after a seven-week-old infant died from asphyxiation when her neck was caught on the edge of her crib’s folding side.

Dr Petrina Wong, a paediatric consultant at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, says the American Academy of Paediatrics has no guidelines on the use of co-sleeping products as there is a lack of evidence on their effect on sudden infant death syndrome or the risk of unintentional injury and death from suffocation.

Traditional vs trendy

Still, retailers say such newfangled options are popular with parents because they are versatile.

The bestsellers at online retailer Pupsik Studio include bedside cribs for co-sleeping infants, electronic rockers and nest beds, says director Su Ling Zagorodnova. Sales of traditional wooden cots and travel cots are “more lukewarm”, she adds.

A nest bed is a portable, basket-like bassinet that holds Baby inside and lets him sleep safely beside his parents. “Portability, convenience and multi-functionality are top priorities for parents,” she says.

Pang Fu Wei, managing director of baby product store Mothercare, says: “Products with longer lifespans, such as cot beds and co-sleeping solutions, are trendy.”

Still, he said, rockers are meant for temporary use and should not replace a baby’s regular bed.

This falls in line with the advice of child experts.

“Rocking cradles and sarong cradles are not recommended since they can inculcate a sleep association and the infant will only be able to sleep in the same environment later on,” says Dr Mahesh Babu Ramamurthy, head and senior consultant of the National University Hospital’s paediatric pulmonary and sleep division.

Safety is top priority

Dr Janice Wong, a paediatrician with Thomson Paediatric Centre, says babies might roll out of the sarong cradle or self-rocking cradle and hurt themselves. “Parents should strap their babies securely” if an electronic rocker is used.

Other dangers include babies choking to death on their vomit if the product – like a sarong cradle – doesn’t provide enough support for their heads, or getting brain damage from rocking that is too vigorous.

“Proper sleeping cots are still recommended and it is best if they are placed beside the adult’s bed. If the cot must be in another room, use a baby monitor,” Dr Wong adds.

When it comes to choosing cots, buy from reputable retailers and ensure that products come with clear safety instructions. The latter is especially important for those buying second-hand cots or using hand-me-downs.

A spokesman for Spring Singapore, the government product-safety watchdog, says it conducts post-market surveillance on products, including those for children, such as cots, strollers and toys. This is “to ensure the products are safe”.

Last year, Spring recalled three baby cots as tests showed that the products did not meet safety standards. The three cribs also lacked the required instruction materials.

The spokesman says that parents should check that the products are age-appropriate and ensure that children are supervised during use.

Avoid giving your baby stuffed toys, pillows and other loose items as there is a risk of suffocation, especially to babies younger than five months who cannot yet roll and push items away.

These objects are also not safe for older babies as they may use them to clamber out of the cot.

Firm mattresses are good as they reduce the danger of suffocation. They should lie flush against the edges of the cot so that your baby does not get trapped in a gap.

The experts also recommend cribs with slats no bigger than 4.5cm to 6cm to prevent babies from slipping through.