Educating Yourself on Crib Safety Can Save Your Baby's Life

Child safety is something that every parent has a responsibility of understanding and ensuring for their child. Approximately 2,500 babies fall victim to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, each year. Though there is still some mystery revolving SIDS and what causes it, there are some things that you can do to protect your child against SIDS. Because your baby will be spending large amounts of time his crib unsupervised, it is important that you educate yourself on the crib in which he sleeps and ways to help your baby sleep safely in it. Here are some buying tips to keep in mind when selecting a crib for your new baby.

First and foremost, when you purchase your new crib, be certain that you pay close attention to the manufacturer's instructions for assembly. Assembling the crib incorrectly can be a safety hazard to your baby. All new cribs manufactured in the United States are required to meet certain product safety standards. If you are purchasing a used crib from an outside source, or without the original paperwork, be certain to look up the model online for safety specifications. Many times, you can contact the manufacturer and they will send you the user manual for the model crib you have at no cost to you. Bear in mind that older cribs were not subject to the safety standards put in place today to protect your child, and the use of older cribs is not recommended.

Be sure to read the specifications on the box before purchasing your crib. Be certain that you pay close attention to the height of the crib. Cribs with corner posts with a height greater than 1/16 inches may cause a strangulation risk to your child if their clothes were to become entangled with them. You will also need to look for a crib with slats no further apart than 2 3/8 inches. If they are any wider than this, your baby can get his hands, legs or head trapped and injury could occur.

When installing the mattress to the crib, ensure that the edges of the mattress fit well within the crib frame. You should not be able to place more than two fingers between the mattress and the frame. Your baby could injure himself if his arms or legs were to become caught between the mattress and the frame. Also double check all screws and bolts to ensure that they are tightened appropriately and that the crib does not wobble or lean.

It is very tempting to want to add soft fluffy pillows and thick comforters to baby's crib, but these items can pose a very deadly threat to your baby. Babies can become trapped under pillows or tangled up in thick comforters and smother to death.
Never leave toys such as teethers or other toys that may pose a choking hazard to your child. Only allow your child to play with these items when you are supervising and never leave these items in your baby's crib.

Once your baby starts growing big enough to pull up on the side of the crib or sit up on his knees, be certain that you remove the mobile over your baby's crib if you have one. Baby could grab the mobile and pull it down, potentially breaking it, and causing there to be small shards of plastic or other potential chocking hazards in the crib and within your baby's reach.

Always remember to keep your baby's crib out of reach of other dangerous items such as hanging cords such as those found on blinds. Curtains may also pose a danger. Be sure to position your baby's crib in a safe area of his room where he cannot grasp any item nearby from his crib.

Check your crib from time to time to be sure that there are no rough edges or areas where the wood is splintering or the paint is chipping off. Check bolts and screws to ensure they stay tight.

Always keep the crib rails up and locked securely when your baby is in the crib. Check the rails often to ensure that they are latching correctly and that the locking mechanisms are in good order.

Do not forget to keep your crib clean. Remember that baby touches these on a daily basis and germs are constantly lurking. It is recommended that you use a solution of warm water and mild antibacterial soap. Never use wood cleaners on cribs, the chemicals in these cleaners can be dangerous if ingested by your child, especially in small amounts.

Keeping your child safe is a very important thing to you and by knowing what to look for in crib safety, you are more likely to create a safe and serene environment for your new baby.