Crib Safety: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Babies spend a lot of time in cribs. To avoid accidents involving your little one, you must know as much as you can about crib safety.

 

However, researching about crib safety for many hours can be counterproductive. After all, we know how busy you are taking care of your little one.

 

To save your time, this article will talk about all things related to baby crib safety.

 

What Are Crib Safety Standards?

 

There are plenty of things you need to consider to ensure your baby’s safety. For starters, you must know about crib safety standards.

 

Lucky you, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released standards for crib safety. Thanks to the CPSC, shopping for a crib becomes a lot easier for you.

 

Here’s a summary of CPSC’s crib safety standards:

 

            For Regular Cribs

 

• The crib’s mattress must be tight-fitting.
• The crib must not have any broken, missing, or loose screws, brackets, and other hardware.
• The width between the crib’s slats must not be more than 6 centimeters.
• The crib must not have missing slats.
• The crib must not have headboard or footboard cutouts.
• The crib’s corner posts must not have a height of more than 0.16 centimeters.

            For Mesh Cribs

• The mesh’s diameter must be less than 0.25 inches.
• The mesh must have no big holes, tears, and loose threads.
• The mesh must be securely attached to the floor plate and top rail.
• The crib’s staples must not be loose, exposed, or missing.

 

Unfortunately, not all cribs in the market meet all of CPSC’s standards. Thus, it’s crucial for you to buy cribs from reputable companies (you can check put top picks here).

 

Crib Safety 101: How to Know if a Crib Is Safe

 

1. The crib has the right size.

 

First of all, the crib must fit your child. The crib must keep up with your baby’s growth spurt as well.

 

A standard-sized crib is a common choice for parents. In particular, a standard crib measures approximately 52 inches by 28 inches.

 

Standard cribs are larger than portable mini cribs. While standard cribs are more expensive, your child can use them for many years.

 

Plus, many standard cribs can be converted into toddler beds. Standard crib mattresses can be reused for new toddler beds as well.

 

1. The crib is made of high-quality materials.

           

Next up on our crib safety checklist is the quality of the crib. Is it on top of the line? Can it last for several years?

 

If the crib you’re eyeing screams no to these questions, then it’s time to look for another one.

 

The most common crib materials are wood, metal, and acrylic. All said materials are durable and safe.

 

However, the right crib type depends on your preference. For example, if you want to stay classic, you can either choose wood or metal. If you want a modern and easy-to-clean crib, you can go for acrylic.

 

           

1. The crib’s mattress is firm and perfectly fits inside the crib.

 

            One of the most crucial crib safety components is the mattress.

 

The wrong mattress is dangerous for your baby. Research shows that soft mattresses and sleeping on the stomach increases the risk of sudden infant syndrome (SIDS) by over 20 times.

 

Moreover, the mattress has to snugly fit inside the crib. As a rule of thumb, two regular fingers must not fit between the mattress and the crib. If yours do, then it’s time to replace the mattress.

 

1. The crib’s finish is non-toxic and scratch-resistant.

 

Cribs before 1978 have lead finish. Thanks to science, manufacturers realized that they must switch things up.

However, there are still sneaky crib manufacturers using paint with little lead. Honestly, they must be out of business real soon.

 

Thus, you should triple-check the crib’s finish― once with the manufacturer, once with the distributor, and once when the crib arrives.

 

In addition, the crib must have a scratch-resistant finish. It’s because babies like to lick and nibble pretty much anything.

 

Remember, a scratched crib means paint debris going into your baby’s mouth.

           

1. The crib has a short corner post or none at all.

 

A crib’s corner posts are the four pillars popping out of the top rail. While these pillars look nice, they can be a health hazard.

 

In the US alone, more than 50 kids have strangled due to corner posts since 1973. While that’s a low number, any parent must not take any chances.

 

Specifically, clothing, toys, and bags can get stuck on corner posts. This can cause children to strangle.

 

Hence, corner posts must either be short (no more than 0.16 centimeters) or non-existent.

           

1. The crib’s slats are shortly distanced.

 

Another part that you must check is the slats. Are they too apart? Can your baby’s arm fit right through them?

 

If your answer to these questions is yes, then it’s time to ditch the crib.

 

In particular, slats that are far apart lets your baby’s arm, or worse―whole body― go right through the crib. The baby can then easily reach things near the crib or fall down.

 

And if there’s one thing a parent must not let happen to a child, it’s falling down.

 

1. The crib has complete and secure attachments.

 

A loosely assembled crib is a recipe for disaster. Imagine what loose screws or slats would do to your baby.

 

Imagining it is already bad, so don’t let it happen in real life.

 

Make sure to closely follow the manual when assembling a crib. If the crib is already assembled, check if the screws and other hardware are complete and securely attached.

 

Remember, it doesn’t matter how many times you have to check a crib to make sure it’s safe.

 

The Bottomline

 

Crib safety must be a priority of every parent. Babies are delicate beings that must be kept safe at all costs.

 

So the next time you check out a crib, don’t just think about its looks. Make sure it meets all crib safety standards as well.

 

If it does, you can then look forward to safe and sound nights for you and your baby.