A grieving mother has issued a warning to fellow parents after her baby died when he got tangled his blanket in bed.
Jordan DeRosier has told of the “unfathomable grief” she has been suffering following the death of her seven-month-old son Sloan.
The young mother initially did not want to reveal the details behind her child’s passing due to her guilt and fear of being condemned by others.
But she has decided to speak out to stop people blaming the death on the wrong reasons and in a bid to stop other people going through the same horrific experience.
After insisting Sloan’s death was not as a result of vaccinations, Jordan wrote on Facebook: “He was last laid down to bed with this blanket made by his great-great grandmother, and one other blanket, a grey one he had been attached to since birth.
“They took the grey one he had been found with his head in. He had pulled it through the crib rails somehow and gotten himself stuck in it.
“You never think it will happen to you. You never think it will be your baby. Please do not put your babies to bed with a blanket. Please. He was 7 months old, I thought because he was crawling, standing on his own, and climbing, that he would be fine with a blanket.”
Referring to her picture which features herself and her other son, she added: “This is the face of immense, unfathomable grief, the face of longing, of heartbreak, of self inflicted GUILT.
“I will NEVER stop feeling responsible. I will relive this for the rest of my life knowing EXACTLY what I could have done differently. Please learn from my world shattering mistake.”
The post has been shared more than 11,000 times with many people offering words of support in response.
One person commented: “I have a 3-month-old son who is attached to his blanket and this is my greatest fear. I pray for your strength and healing. I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss.”
Another mother simply replied: “My heart is literally aching for you.”
Bosses of website Sleep.org recommend blankets, pillows, soft toys and comforters are kept out of a baby’s crib, whether they are awake or asleep, until they are at least a year old.
By the time they are 12 months old, babies usually have the strength to move blankets away from their face, according to the site.
Jordan posted a heartfelt message to her son online after he passed away this month, writing: “Our sweet rainbow warrior, your short time on this earth blessed so many. You were a gift to all who knew you, and an inspiration to all who didn’t.
“Your death has impacted this world, it has left an emptiness felt by so many. Proof that you held with you so much light and grace. You were not able to live out our dreams for you, yet our dreams are where we will find you forever.
“We will forever be caught in this space between worlds, the space you now exist for us. Our longing for you is eternal, if only your life had been.
“You’re in the sun, the clouds, the rain. You’re every ray, every shadow, every drop we will ever see again.”
Do you have any other information for keeping a baby safe while they are sleeping? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.
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