Crib Safety Tips – How to Choose a Safe Crib for Your Baby

Since your baby will probably spend a lot of time in its crib, it surely stands to reason why the crib safety should be a main focus for you as a parent. In order to have a safe and secure crib for your baby, you will actually need to consider some safety tips when you go shopping

There are some specific criteria a crib should be meeting to be deemed safe. For example, drop side cribs have been banned in the U.S., therefore it is illegal to manufacture or sell these items in the country.  Sadly, there were 32 baby deaths attributed to these drop side cribs since 2001.

Here we will talk about the specific guidelines you can follow when it comes about crib safety for your baby. These guidelines were issued by The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in the United States. It is good to know that most modern cribs are now designed to keep the exigent crib safety standards. Yet if you intend to buy a second-hand crib for your baby, the following guidelines will prove to be very helpful for you.

Crib Safety Guidelines by CPSC

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The crib safety will guarantee a good sleep for your baby and peaceful nights for your family, especially if you are struggling with colic or other infancy issues.

crib safety 250x300 Crib Safety Tips

Crib Safety

Let’s have a look at these crib safety guidelines, starting with the most obvious tips and working our way down to the not so apparent issues:

  • All parts of the crib should fit perfectly together.
  • Don’t replace original components of the crib with parts purchased from the local hardware store. To ensure the crib safety, any hardware that comes with the crib must be present and be part of the original structure.
  • Among other crib safety rules, the wood of the crib must be smooth and free of splinters.
  • The manufacturers should use only lead-free paint for the surfaces of the crib. This type of paint is generally safe for use on baby furniture.
  • The optimal distance between the crib’s slats should be two-and-three-eighths inches or less. Any distance wider than this will increase the risk of baby falling through, or the body or head getting stuck.
  • The mattress should be firm and perfectly fit for the crib so babies won’t trap any part of their body down the sides. If you can fit more than your two fingers in the space between the side of baby’s crib and the mattress, then the mattress is not the right fit for your baby’s crib.
  • You need to avoid the risk of strangulation by ensuring that the four corner of the crib are flush with both end panels. This way, garments of clothing won’t get caught in.
  • Speaking about crib safety, any cut-outs in the two end panels of the crib are likely to trap a baby’s head. The two end panels (the “headboard” and “footboard” ends) should only be solid and should not have any kind of decorative cut-outs.
  • To make sure that the crib has been tested for crib safety and quality, look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) certification.

In order to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and prevent suffocation, it is also necessary to follow…

Additional Crib Safety Rules

  • Place your baby on his/her back in the crib.
  • Do not place pillows, comforters, quilts, sheepskins, pillow-like bumper pads or pillow-like stuffed toys in the crib.
  • Use only a fitted bottom sheet specifically made for crib use.
  • Consider using a sleeper instead of a blanket.
  • If you do use a blanket, place the baby with feet to foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, covering baby only as high as his/her chest.

Now that you know the most important crib safety tips, you can go shopping and choose the best crib for your little one.