In their first year, babies sleep 14 to 16 hours a day, according to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Considering how much time babies spend in their cribs, parents should ensure that their baby’s crib meets safety standards and that they abide by safety guidelines after the crib has been assembled.
Buying a Crib
To keep your baby’s head from slipping through or getting stuck in the slats, purchase a crib with slats that are no farther apart than 2 3/8 inches, or about the size of a can of soda, recommends BabyCenter.com.
Make sure the frame is at least 51 3/4 inches long and 27 3/4 inches wide to accommodate a standard crib mattress; the mattress should fit tightly enough so that two fingers can’t slip between it and the frame. Another feature you should look for is an adjustable mattress height so that you can lower it before your baby is able to sit and stand up.
Finally, shake the crib to test its stability; a properly assembled crib should never rattle or wobble.
Crib Use
Once you purchase a suitable crib, read the instructions for setting up, using and caring for it, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP also recommends never using a crib with missing parts, never leaving the crib sides down while your baby is in the crib and ensuring that hanging crib toys are out of baby’s reach.
You'll need to make other adjustments as your baby grows. For example, the mattress should be at its lowest setting before your baby is able to sit on her own.
Bedding Safety
To reduce your baby’s risk of suffocation, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends placing your baby in the crib on his back. It also recommends not putting bedding such as pillows, comforters or pillow-like stuffed objects in the crib and suggests never using bumpers.
Use only a fitted crib mattress sheet and, in lieu of a blanket, consider placing your baby in a sleeper, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you decide to use a blanket, make sure your baby’s feet are at the foot of the crib and that the blanket is thin, tucked tightly around the mattress and covers your baby no farther up than his chest.
Mesh-Sided Cribs
If you decide to place your baby in a mesh-sided crib or playpen, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends buying one with mesh openings smaller than 1/4 inch, or smaller than the buttons on baby clothing. The mesh should not have any rips, holes or loose threads. It should be securely attached to the floor plate and top rail, and any staples should not be exposed, missing or loose.
Considerations
Be wary of using hand-me-down cribs with drop sides, says BabyCenter.com. As these cribs have been linked to infant fatalities, the federal government plans to prohibit the use of drop-side cribs in public places such as day care settings and to ban stores from selling them by the end of 2010. Also beware of cribs manufactured before federal guidelines went into effect in 1973, and avoid using decorations that could break off the crib and present a choking hazard.
