re: are sleep positioners necessary?

Quoting Jessie bear:“ Sleep positioners were originally thought to prevent SIDS by keeping babies off of their tummies. However ... [snip!] ... This page will give you all the info you need to keep your baby safe in the crib.”

i will add... http://www.smartmoney.com/top5/index.cfm?story=20060914
Product: Sleep Positioners
Danger: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Suffocation
Another sleeping hazard: the sleep positioner. This is a piece of foam that's used to prevent a baby from turning over onto his or her stomach. (Sleep experts warn that infants shouldn't sleep on their tummies since it could cause SIDS.) "While it was designed for safety it actually compromises it," says Consumer Reports' Mays. As babies in a positioner turn their heads from side to side the foam can conform to the face and cause suffocation and rebreathing.
A safer sleep option is to snuggly swaddle infants for the first few months. Then once they are strong enough to turn over on their own, it's safe to let them move around and sleep however they want.