Baby Cribs Safety Tips
Because you child will spend hundreds, if not thousands, of hours in the crib, it’s important to keep safety in mind. Whether you are buying a new crib or using one that is older, keep in mind a few safety tips.
Even though they may look nice, it’s best to get rid of older infant cribs with ornamental cutouts and corner posts. It’s vitally important to make sure that an older crib was not painted with lead paint. Odds are good that your child is going to chew on some part of the crib, it’s up to you to make sure there is nothing hazardous. It’s important to make the entire bedroom safe for the baby.
Slats on a crib must be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart. This is to prevent babies from getting their head stuck in between them. Cribs produced after 1974 are required to meet this rule and other strict safety standards. The corner posts need to be the exact same height as completion panels or less than 1/16 of an inch higher than completion panels.
No Big Openings Allowed
Make sure that there are no cut out areas on the headboard or foot board so an infant’s head can not get caught. The leading rails of crib sides, in their raised position, need to be at least 26 inches above the top of the bed mattress support at its lowest position.
As soon as your child can pull himself to a standing position, set and keep the bed mattress at its lowest position. Stop utilizing the baby crib once the height of the leading rails is less than three-fourths of the kid’s height.
Crib Mattress
The bed mattress ought to fit snugly next to the baby crib so that there is no space. If 2 adult fingers can be positioned in between the baby crib and the bed mattress, the mattress ought to be right away replaced.
Put your infant to sleep on his or her back or side in a crib with a firm, flat bed mattress and no soft bedding beneath. Speak to your pediatrician about which sleeping position is best for you child.
Baby Crib Hardware
It’s important to remember that drop side cribs are no longer legal in the US. You may see a lot of articles about them but ignore them. It is no longer allowed to even give away a drop side crib. They may have seemed convenient but the danger they posed far outweighed any convenience.
Every piece of crib hardware ought to be checked for disengaged, broken, loose or bent pieces. Regular checks must be made of the bed mattress supports and brackets so they can not sag or drop. The hardware and the crib must be smooth and complimentary of sharp edges, points and rough surfaces.
Baby Crib Accessories
Bumper pads must cover the whole within perimeter of the baby crib and tie or snap in place. These pads need to have at least six straps or ties and any excess length of straps or ties ought to be cut off. Bumper pads should never be utilized in lieu of proper spacing in between the slats and need to be removed from the crib as soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position.
Teething rails that are harmed ought to be repaired, changed or eliminated immediately. To avoid possible entanglement, mobiles and baby crib gyms, which are implied to be hung over or across the baby crib, should be removed when the child is five months old or when he begins to push up onto hands and knees or can pull himself up. Keep the baby crib clear of plastic sheets, pillows, and big stuffed toys or animals. These can be suffocation risks or can allow children to climb out of the baby crib. Any fabric or vinyl items that are loose or torn should be changed or fixed right away.
Baby Crib Environment
If possible, never position the baby crib next to a window. Blinds or drapes can be a hazard with their cords, even if you are able to bind them up. Being near a window can also be a distraction to your child, making it harder for them to go to sleep.
The bed mattress must fit snugly next to the baby crib so that there is no space. If 2 adult fingers can be placed in between the crib and the mattress, the bed mattress must be immediately replaced. Plastic film can cling to children’s faces and should never be in or near the crib.
Bumper pads ought to never be used in lieu of correct spacing in between the slats and need to be eliminated from the crib as soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position.
To avoid possible entanglement, mobiles and baby monitors, which are meant to be hung over or across the baby crib, should be removed when the kid is five months old or when he begins to press up onto knees and hands or can pull himself up.