Contrary to prevalent belief, SIDS can be prevented.

Mattress-Wrapping has prevented SIDS since 1996.

We are currently reviewing the SIDS literature and finding clues to solving the SIDS puzzle. We will be forming a scientific 501c(3) nonprofit to further prove what we have discovered from the literature. We are in need of a board for our nonprofit. Let us know what background and skills you can provide. Make a point to sign up for our Newsletters when you donate to keep informed.

Our Mattress-Wrapping Details page shares our past position on SIDS.  Financially support our SIDS Research near the bottom of this page.

We give referrals to BabeSafe SIDS wrap distributors for your baby’s safety.

[We have no financial interest in the sale of BabeSafe® Mattress Covers.]

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So, you ask:

"Why Has It Taken So Long For The Solution To SIDS To Be Discovered?"

The two scientists, Barry Richardson in the UK and Dr. TJ Sprott in NZ that realized the suspected cause for SIDS, felt that knowing its simple truth would be enough and everyone would be convinced to protect their babies by wrapping their mattresses.

Mr. Richardson first tried to protect the concept behind Mattress-Wrapping so it could be published in medical journals. But the media was very aggressive to publish the reason behind cot death (SIDS). Eventually he allowed the TV stations in the UK to help investigate the cause of SIDS.

But the TV stations stopped short with just sharing the cause and did not mount a long term promotion on how to prevent SIDS with the mattress-wrapping method.  The two TV programs that were aired, instilled much fear into parents, by sharing that the cribs, playpens and bassinets where they were sleeping their babies were "unsafe".  There were 60,000 worried callers in the 24 hours after the first show. (1)

In actuality, and it is still known today that even without mattress-wrapping, the baby's bassinet, playpen and crib are the safest place for them to sleep compared to other places in the home. (2)

The UK governmental agencies that did the follow up research on the Toxic Gas Theory cause of SIDS, appeared to be more interested in keeping babies in their cribs, bassinets and playpens than finding the cause of why SIDS was happening. (3)

So the UK research was not completely thorough and did not collaborate fully with Mr. Richardson, (4) the original researcher with his "pet theory", as it was described in the editorial section of the same Lancet journal where they published their findings following up on Richardson's work. (5)

The Richardson Hypothesis, as it was known then, was reported in 1995 in The Lancet to be "unsupported" by their agency's findings. (6)  Yet Dr. Sprott described in his 1996 book "The Cot Death Cover-Up?" (4) the multiple errors committed in their research for that December Lancet article.

We consider the UK agency's greatest error was to sterilize the mattress samples prior to testing them to find whether Richardson's samples contained the certain fungus Richardson had found on the mattresses in his lab. The agency also sterilized their own control mattress samples as well. (6)

This author's opinion is that the UK investigator's follow up on Mr. Richardson's research was distinctly biased in their conclusions. It is thought the government researchers felt they had the better interest of the people in mind.  But in the process the investigative truth was squelched, of whether and if, the theory behind mattress-wrapping had any validity.

These agencies and those supporting mattress-wrapping did not get along with each other. (7)  So, the scientific research, such as that done by Warnock, et al. (6), fully refuted the Hypothesis and closed any further scientific research on it.  Up until now, that is.  This author wishes to pursue investigating why mattress-wrapping works. (9)

Please help us avenge the deaths of the babies that have died these 30 years since Barry Richardson first had this idea in 1989.  Please Donate to our scientific SIDS research efforts to work toward proving to everyone the cause behind the method that works.

After the work of Barry Richardson was made public in 1989, the SIDS rate in the UK dropped from 2.3 per 1,000 in 1988 to 1.44 per 1,000 in 1991.  This was presumed as because of parents buying new mattresses for each birth and wrapping the existing ones. (8)  In New Zealand there has been no SIDS deaths on a BabeSafe® properly wrapped mattress since its inception in 1996. (9)

Help us find out—and prove to all participants involved—why this Richardson Hypothesis works.

We are Campaigning to Prevent SIDS.

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What then is the Toxic Gas Theory of SIDS / Richardson Hypothesis?

It means that SIDS can likely occur if all three of these exist together:

 1.  the elements phosphorous (P), arsenic (As), and/or antimony (Sb) are present in the baby’s mattress;

 2.  the common household fungus is present and

 3.  then also that there is an increase in temperature, that is, from body heat or other heat sources.

      [The baby is in the SIDS vulnerable time period in their life up to 6 months, or 14 months for a premature baby.]

These simultaneous conditions cause the fungus to grow, metabolizing compounds containing these elements, to create nerve gases, that stop the baby's respiratory and cardiac function, to make SIDS occur.

Mattress-wrapping requires eliminating as many of all the factors involved with SIDS as possible.

Especially important for prevention is keeping the chemical elements P, As and Sb, in mattresses and bedding, away from your baby and minimizing sources of body heat.

Sleep your baby in a wrapped: bassinet, co-sleeper, Pack ‘N Play (or other playpen) or crib. Never sleep your baby on a sofa, couch or recliner.

The standard SIDS precautions still are valid and apply to reducing SIDS. You must sleep your baby Alone, on their Back and in a Crib, in a sleeping situation designed specifically for babies but just that it is wrapped with a BabeSafe® mattress cover.  Use a firm mattress and no soft bedding.

The key to mattress-wrapping is to use a BabeSafe® mattress cover over your baby’s mattress and only 100% pure cotton bedding, with no padding or quilting.

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Email us from Contact Us section below, to get a referral for a BabeSafe® mattress cover for your baby's sleeping situation.