But the New Zealand experience shows that those deaths were avoidable, easily and cheaply - and that raises another prospect of legal liability for babies' deaths. Eight babies continue to die every night in the United States from crib death. The main orthodox crib death prevention recommendation is to put babies to sleep on their backs. However, no babies have died sleeping on a properly wrapped mattress. An inexpensive, non-toxic protective cover can certainly do no harm.
Toxic gases are present in adult beds as well as babies' cribs.
But many babies sleep with their parents on adult-sized mattresses. So you need to know that your baby is not protected in your bed if your mattress is not wrapped correctly. The manufacturer of the mattress covers is looking into the prospect of making adult sized mattress covers, but in the meantime is recommending against babies sleeping in adult beds. But crib death does happen in adult beds due to the presence of toxic gases and the only way your baby would be protected from these gases is if your mattress is properly wrapped. If your baby is going to sleep in your bed, please see the following instructions for wrapping the mattress on your bed.