A cot mattress that mimics the womb

LONDON: It’s a dream come true for tired-out-moms – a revolutionary new cot mattress which mimics the sensation of the womb to keep babies happy at night. The Easidream mattress, invented by a British mother- of-six, Lynda Harding, has a series of inflatable pads which when placed under the existing mattress, reduces the time to settle babies by up to 90%. The pads gently fill with air and then deflate again, mimicking a rocking motion. And, a cuddly toy sheep clipped to the side of the cot broadcasts the sound of mother’s heartbeat along with a choice of sounds like vacuum cleaner and music. The motion of the pads also encourages babies to sleep on their backs, recommended as the safest position for babies under six months old, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported. 44-year-old Harding, who battled to get her youngest child Bradley to sleep as a baby, said: “Sleep deprivation is draining. This product would have been a godsend for me so I’d like to see it help other parents.” Now, researchers at the University of Brighton have also developed a prototype. The product will be launched at the Baby Show in London in October. Jeanne Tarrant, from the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Babies do respond to hearing their mother’s heartbeat or white noise and it usually sends them to sleep. A rocking motion can also help. Anything that reminds them of being in the womb is useful.”