Your new life with your baby will be froth with sleepless night, so it's important to get the right crib and crib bedding. To make it easy on yourself, especially if you're breastfeeding, have your new baby in a bassinet by your bed. By the time your baby is rolling over you should have the crib ready and waiting for them and you can get a good night's rest. Here are some safety features your crib should have.
Your baby will spend more time in their crib than anywhere else except perhaps the playpen. That is until the reach the sitting up and crawling stage. Then watch out - they'll be up to no good. But to keep them safe in their cribs it pays to know about crib safety. So what makes a crib safe for your baby?
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The slats shouldn't be more than 2-3/8 inches apart. If they're bigger than that then the chances of your baby's head going through them are pretty high. But you only have to worry if you use an antique or perhaps a second hand crib. Older cribs may not meet the safety standards of today. They could also have lead paint on them or splinter easier than cribs that are more modern. Beware of cutout designs on the rails and head and footboards. Babies like to stick their hand in everything and will get stuck in them. When choosing a crib, give it a good shake to make sure it's sturdy. If it wobbles, look for another brand or style of crib. Most cribs of today are made with the drop-side at least 9 inches above the mattress when in the lowered position. This helps protect your baby from falling out of the crib. Also, make sure it's easy to raise and lower, as you will probably be using one hand most of the time (sleeping baby in your arms). All new cribs are made of lead free and non-toxic material so there's nothing to worry about there. But you do need to check second hand or antique cribs to make sure they are safe. While putting the crib together if you get cut on any of the hardware then you can be sure your baby will too. Replace or cover up any hardware that could injury your baby. The mattress should fit snugly to the frame. Make sure there are no gaps for your baby to fall though. More than two finger gap means it too small. Also, check the foam in the mattress as time goes by the edges break down and make more gaps. Always use nonflammable and hypoallergenic bumper pads. You only need bumper pads when your baby starts to move around and turn over. They are there to prevent your baby from sticking their arms through or bumping their head against the railings. Make sure the ties are on the outside of the crib. (This is a highly subjective issue and this is my opinion so research bumper pads and make your own informed decision.) For some people, it's the other way around. They use bumper pads when the baby is small and remove them when they get more active. After a time you'll need to tighten the bolts, nuts, and screws and check the railings for cracks. Your baby will be chewing on them. Don't place the crib next to windows with curtains, drapery cords or pull ropes, and not next to furniture that can help them get out of the crib. Before buying your crib, always check that it meets all safety requirements.
That's actually 11 safety tips for cribs and the most important one is number 11. Federal safety guidelines went into effect in 1973, but in 1991, it became mandatory on all cribs to meet this safety standard (16CFR part 1508) as set by The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).
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