Travel alert: Don't place infants on air mattresses

Before you get out that air mattress for holiday guests, consider this warning just issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission: Do not put infants on air mattresses. Like water beds and pillows, they are too soft for babies, and could be deadly.

Since 2002, the CPSC has gotten reports of 16 infant deaths related to air mattresses. Of the babies, most younger than 8 months, 11 suffocated in face down positions, five died from suffocation after falling into gaps between the mattress and bed frame or the mattress and adjacent furniture or wall.

Even properly inflated air mattresses are usually too soft for infants to maintain a clean airway, the agency said. Air leaks and under-inflation also contribute to incidents.

Remember these other safety tips from the CPSC for your sleeping baby:

• Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Never place a baby to sleep on an adult bed. Infants can suffocate on bedding or can become entrapped between the mattress and bed frame or mattress and wall.
• When using a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards, has a firm, tight fitting mattress and tight fitting bottom sheet.
• As this blog has reported before, do not use bumper pads in cribs.
• When using a portable crib or play yard, be sure to use only the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer.

For more details on babies and cribs, read Consumer Report's Crib bedding 101 as well as Sleeping gear to avoid.