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Safer sleep a priority for both Mom and baby
As the mother of two boys a five-year-old and a new born son only 10 weeks old, I am no stranger to the hustle and bustle of a house with young children. About two weeks ago, however, I experienced a parent’s worst nightmare to find the newborn baby screaming on the ground in the wee hours of the night with no explanation as to how this happened. All I knew was I had put him to sleep in his bassinet. All I could think of was to rush him to the emergency room; having no explanation for the doctor other than he fell out of his bassinet.
Exactly two weeks after this incident I heard a knock at my front door. Not expecting any visitors I quickly went to the door to see who was there. It was none other than Children's Aid. I felt a lump in my throat. Why was Children’s Aid at my door? What had I done wrong? I take very good care of my children. I am an educator and have been for quite a few years. I am one of those people who have to make the unfortunate phone calls to CAS on behalf of my students. And now on this day I am standing in the hallway of my home with CAS at my door inquiring about my children and I have no clue why. A few minutes into the conversation with the Social worker it is brought to my attention why they are at my house. The fall my infant experienced two weeks ago. To them my story just didn't make sense.
Why and how did my baby fall out of a bassinet? This is a product purchased at a major baby retail store which I assumed had passed safety checks. Yet my son fell out of it. I felt horrible for days and nights as I racked my brain as to how this may have happened, but could not make any sense of it. All I saw as a space in from which he fell out. As I went on to discuss my story with this social worker and nurse showing them exactly what the bassinet looked like. Finally they were able to help me make sense of it. Assuring me that I did nothing wrong and that it was not my fault. The bassinet with its soft fabric skirt all around in combination with a very active baby meant that the more the baby moved, the more likely the skirt would give way and open a gap for the baby to fall out.
The CAS reps came to the conclusion that his product should be reported to Health Canada and taken off the market. I wanted to share my story with you so that no other parent feels the pain, hurt and guilt I felt that early morning when I found my baby screaming on the floor, then rushing him to the emergency room praying to God there is nothing wrong with my son. I am glad to say he is doing just find. The worst part of it was a bump on the back of his head and the sudden shock of hitting the floor. It is my hope that Health Canada will be able to recall the bassinet in question of store shelves. I now know, thanks to Safe Kids Canada, that I can check for recalls or concerns about children’s products from Health Canada using the product recall widget on www.safekidscanada.ca . Thank you.
Leslie, Mississauga mother of two
