By using these crib safety tips, you can possibly prevent a trip to the hospital. Cribs are the number one baby nursery product causing injuries serious enough to seek emergency medical help. When shopping for a crib, look for one with either an ASTM or CPSC certification seal showing that it meets national safety standards. Check the crib for this seal.
Never purchase or use an antique, used crib or bassinet. It may be missing hardware that prevents it from collapsing, or possibly failing in some other way. Don't use if: your crib is missing, has loose, broken, or improperly installed screws, brackets, or other hardware.
Some older cribs have cutouts in the headboard or foot board. Your crib shouldn't have any cutouts or openings that could entrap your child's head, neck, arms, or legs.
An old crib can be in good shape however safety standards have improved over the years, so it's best to buy a new one if you can. A crib needs to be the one place that you feel comfortable leaving your baby unattended. You want to keep your baby far away from anything they can pull down on themselves, or climb onto while they are in their crib.
Check the condition of the crib's paint. If your crib is painted, make certain that the paint is in excellent condition, no chipping or peeling. This is especially important with older cribs that may have been coated with paint that contains lead.
Top crib rails should be covered by a teething guard. This prevents babies from swallowing paint or stain chips and from swallowing splintered wood. Check the teething rails for cracks and sharp edges and replace rails when cracks or sharp edges appear.
Check the crib for splinters. If you use an older crib, be sure to check it over thoroughly for cracks, splinters and rough edges, or tears in mesh or fabric sides which could harm your baby.
Baby's safety includes always keeping your crib at least three inches away from drapes, ribbons, blind cords, electrical cords, lamps, electrical outlets, and decorative wall hangings. Never use string, rope, or cord to hang toys, a diaper stacker, or other items near or on the crib.
Always place crib away from windows and any draft source.
Never hang decorations, art or quilts with ribbon, yarn or string above the crib.
If your crib or bassinet has ribbons make sure your baby can't pull them off or become entangled. Remove them or cut them shorter than eight inches. If you decide to keep these decorative features, you need to be sure they are tightly fastened and remove them before your child reaches five months.
There should be no missing or broken slats.
There should be no more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats so a baby's body cannot fit through. If you can fit a can of soda between two slats then the spacing is too large. You are likely to find this problem in older cribs.
If your crib has corner posts or finial knobs, they should stand at least 16 inches above the crib's end panels. The child should not be able to reach the top. If the corner posts or finials are shorter than this, unscrew them or saw them off. They should be no more than 1/16 of an inch higher than the crib ends or side panels.
Try to find out the make and model number of a crib you are reserving at a hotel. You need to find out if it has been recalled. When you arrive at the hotel, check the crib thoroughly for loose screws or missing parts, and be sure the slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Check the sheet to make certain that it is designed for the crib and that it is not a flat sheet that has been tucked in. Bring your own portable crib, play yard, etc., for baby to sleep in. At minimum, bring your own crib sheet.
According to the National Safety Council, crib sides must require two separate steps to release and lower. If the crib is a one step process, then it must require a minimum of 10 pounds of force to release it. This is to prevent any child from accidentally releasing a crib side.
Every time you change your baby's sheet, check the screws and bolts in your baby's crib to ensure nothing is loose, missing or damaged. Crib hardware is notorious for loosening or falling out over time. If anything is loose, then tighten it. If anything is missing or broken, contact the manufacturer for replacement parts and fix it.
Make sure that the system that supports the crib mattress is in perfect condition. Nothing should be bent, broken or coming apart. Be sure the system is secure and that there is no danger of falling. If the mattress is suspended on hangers attached to hooks on the end panels, check these regularly as well to see that they are still connected properly. Again, a handy time to look is when you are changing the crib sheet.
The crib mattress must be snug fitting. Babies become trapped between the mattress and the side of the crib. Also lay your baby down on her back on a firm mattress that is covered by a well fitted sheet.
The correct measurement for a rail height is 26 inches from the top of the railing to the mattress support at its lowest level.
There shouldn't be any cracks or openings between the crib and the mattress because a baby can get trapped in the smallest of spaces. A full-size crib has an interior surface of 28 inches by 52 inches. The mattress for a full-size crib should be 27 1/4 inches by 51 5/8 inches, and the mattress should be no more than 6 inches thick. If you can place more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib frame, the fit isn't tight enough and you risk the chance of entrapment.
Adjust the mattress to the correct height. Most cribs have this feature, some with only three levels and some with many levels. The higher levels make it easier for you to put your infant in and out of the crib. It becomes dangerous as soon as your baby can move around. Before your child reaches five or six months or prior to him pulling himself to a standing position put the mattress at it's lowest setting.
Proper sheets are the sheets made to fit the mattress in your crib, bassinet or play yard. If a sheet isn't the correct fit, your baby may pull it off and become entangled. Test the sheet by pulling up on each corner to make sure it doesn't pop off the mattress corner. If the sheet is too tight or too loose, the same result will occur; baby can suffocate.
The safest crib is the crib without crib gyms and other toys stretched across the crib using strings, cords or ribbons. If you insist on these items, then you can reduce the risks by following recommendations from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Crib bumpers are cute, but it's best not to use them. Bumpers should be tied down and properly installed. If not properly installed they can become a hazard. They should fit securely around the entire crib, tied at each corner, top and bottom, and sides, secured in several places, top and bottom, by ties or snaps. After tying the bumper to the crib, trim off excess string to prevent your baby from becoming entangled. Remove bumpers prior to baby turning five months old or pushing up onto her knees and hands.
Don't lift your baby over the side of the crib without dropping the side first. Babies are escape artists and you'll be showing her how to escape. Get in the habit of raising and locking the sides as soon as your baby is in the crib and check that all latches are locked. Start when they are infants and move very little. You'll be glad that you did later.
Crib mobiles are not for touching. They often have strings and small attached pieces. Make certain that your little one is unable to reach the mobile. Remove the mobile prior to your baby turning five months old or pushing up on hands and knees.
This comprehensive list of crib safety tips will give you the tools to know what to look for. If you find you have purchased a crib that is unsafe, you should return it and report it to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If you cannot return it, destroy it and replace it with a safe crib. Make sure your crib meets the mandatory industry crib safety standards as set by The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the voluntary standards as set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM F-1169 and ASTM F-996). The ones that meet or exceed these crib safety standards are certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA).
Cribs that are JPMA certified are clearly labeled and the certification seal should be displayed prominently on the crib itself or the shipping carton. By law, the production date of the crib must be displayed both on the crib and the shipping carton. Buying a new JPMA certified crib assures you that your crib meets the latest federal and voluntary crib safety standards. Buying new will also protect your baby from the hidden dangers of second-hand cribs.
