As a new parent, ensuring your baby’s safety is always a top priority. While there are a ton of places that need to be “baby-proofed”, the place that they sleep is a priority. Here are our 12 essential rules for the crib.
1. Get a Modern Crib
Always opt for a crib manufactured after June 2011. These cribs adhere to the latest safety standards, including the ban on drop-side rail cribs.
All crib standards are set or reevaluated annually by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). I highly recommend checking out their website for great information on everyday products at CPSC.GOV.
2. Do Regular Inspections
Ensure all screws, bolts, nuts, plastic parts, and other hardware are present and original. They should be tightly in place to prevent the crib from coming apart.
3. Check Those Slats
The crib slats should be 2 3/8 inches (6 cm) apart at maximum. This prevents a child’s head from becoming trapped between them. Most cribs made after 2011 already adhere to this standard, but it never hurts to double check.
4. Avoid Decorative Cut-Outs
While it may seem like the “Instagram-worthy” thing to do, please refrain from any aesthetic modifications to the crib. Cutting areas away can create new trap points and sometimes weaken the crib’s integrity.
If you need an excellent-looking crib, please purchase one that is already manufactured how you want.
5. Ensure a Perfect Mattress Fit
The mattress should be the same size as the crib, leaving no gaps that could trap arms, body, or legs.
6. Lower the Mattress Early
Before your baby can sit, lower the mattress of the crib. Set the bed at its lowest position before your child learns to stand. This can prevent any safety issues with climbing or falling out of the crib.
7. Say No to Bumper Pads
While these pads seem like a safety item, they are harmful. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CPSC are so against them that in 2022 a bill was introduced to ban them. This bill has yet to be approved or denied, but the fact that it is at that point should tell you all you need to know.
The pads increase the risk of strangulation, suffocation, and entrapment. Please check out this article on SIDS for more information on sleeping risks.
8. Keep the Crib Clear of Objects
Avoid placing pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed animals, and other soft products in the crib. It may be cute to have them sleep with a teddy bear they are attached to, but the risks are not worth it.
9. Secure Mobiles
If you hang a mobile over your child’s crib, ensure it is securely attached. Remove it when the baby can get up on his hands and knees or is 5 months old, whichever comes first.
10. Keep Strings or Cords Away From the Crib
This goes for things in the crib too. While having a pacifier attached to your little one during the day is okay, this should never be kept on during bedtime. Ensure blinds, baby monitor cables, etc., are no where near the crib.
11. Avoid Clothing with Drawstrings
While most clothing from newborn to 6 months does not have a drawstring, please ensure that any clothes you have been given or had custom-made (i.e., ETSY) do not have one. This can pose a strangulation risk at night, especially if your baby moves a lot.
12. Keep Your Little One in Their Own Bed
Letting your baby sleep in the bed with you, also called co-sleeping, can be extremely dangerous for them. Depending if you toss and turn, you could injure your baby. The number of pillows, blankets/comforters can also play into this negative effect on your child.
Remember, these rules are guidelines and may not apply to every situation. Always use your best judgment and consult a pediatrician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns. Your baby’s safety is paramount, and these rules are a great starting point to ensure a safe environment for your little one.
For more information pertaining to infant sleep, please check out the American Academy of Pediatrics website.
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