More Crib Safety Dos and Don’ts

The crib you put your baby in is a big deal. You want to make sure it is safe, and that your precious cargo does not come to harm because of their bed. Here are a few of the do’s and don’ts of crib safety:

Dos:

• Do place baby on his/her back in a crib with a firm, tight-fitting mattress. You want to always put them on their back so that their breathing passages do not get blocked by blankets, etc.
• Do consider using a sleeper instead of a blanket. Blankets can pose risks to babies, suffocate them, etc. Sleeper pajamas are a better option.
• Do use only a fitted bottom sheet that is specifically made for crib use. Otherwise it can pose risks to the health of the baby.
• Do use a firm, tight-fitting mattress so a baby cannot get trapped between the mattress and the crib.
• Do take a few minutes when crib shopping to check slat spacing. The slats in a crib not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart. If it is larger, it is too large. While this is rare in new cribs, it is still worth taking the time to check.
• Do let your baby sleep unencumbered. Don’t wrap them up or cover them in blankets and quilts, as this can cause them to get tangled up, to suffocate, and other risks.
• Do remove the bottle from their mouth before they go to sleep. As your child gets older it can be tempting to let them sleep in their crib with a bottle, but this is unwise, as a worn bottle nipple can tear and a small piece could get caught in the baby’s throat.

Don’t:

• Don’t put pillows, quilts, stuff animals, comforters, pillow-like bumper pads, etc. in a crib.
• Don’t cover a baby any higher than their chest if you are going to use a blanket in the crib, and be sure to tuck the blanket around the mattress so it doesn’t move up.
• Don’t put a baby in a crib with missing, loose, broken or improperly installed hardware. The crib could collapse, or the mattress support could fall, and the baby could be hurt.
• Don’t put a baby in a crib with wide, missing or cracked slats. Arms, legs, heads, etc. can get stuck, and baby could get hurt.
• Don’t use a crib with corner posts over 1/16th inch high, as this creates the risk of a baby’s clothing catching when they try to climb out.
• Don’t use a crib with cutouts in the headboard or foot board so a baby’s head cannot get trapped.
• Don’t hang a mobile, crib gym, etc. where a baby can reach them, the parts are small, and ribbons, string, etc. can be risky.
• Don’t place the baby crib near window blinds or curtains, as the pull cords could be a choking or hanging hazard.
• Don’t use electric heating blankets of any kind.
• Don’t lift your baby over the side of the crib without dropping the side first, as it will effectively teach them how to get out of their crib, which is dangerous for them to do on their own.