Used Crib Safety Tips
An unsafe used crib can be very dangerous for your baby. Each year, about 50 babies suffocate or strangle when they become trapped between broken crib parts or in cribs with older, unsafe designs. A safe crib is always the best place to put your baby to sleep, so look for a certification seal showing that your crib meets national safety standards.
If your crib doesn't meet these guidelines, you should seriously consider replacing it with a safer one. Here's what to look for in terms of crib safety:
No missing, loose, broken, or improperly installed screws, brackets, or other hardware on the crib or the mattress support
No more than 23/8 inches between crib slats, so a baby's body can't fit through the slats
A firm, snug-fitting mattress so a baby can't get trapped between the mattress and the side of the crib
No corner posts over 1/16 inch above the end panels (unless they are over 16 inches high for a canopy) so a baby can't catch clothing and strangle
No cutout areas on the headboard or footboard so a baby's head can't get trapped
A mattress support that does not easily pull apart from the corner posts so a baby can't get trapped between mattress and crib
No cracked or peeling paint
No splinters or rough edges.
Check the Slats and Sides
On a crib, slats should be spaced no more than 23/8 inches apart, without any missing or cracked slats. The mattress should fit snugly — less than two fingers' width between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib and the mattress support securely attached to the headboard and footboard. The corner posts should be no higher than 1/16 inch (1 mm) to prevent entanglement of clothing or other objects worn by baby.
How should I tell my in-laws that their “heirloom” crib is unsafe?
Go to the U.S. government's consumer safety Web site and download the crib safety checklist. Share it with your in-laws and then brainstorm other creative ideas for the antique piece; perhaps you can use it as a toy display on the other side of baby's room.
Since they can allow head entrapment, there shouldn't be any cutouts in the headboard or footboard. Drop-side latches should securely hold sides in a raised position, not be moveable by an active or adventuresome baby. All screws or bolts that secure the components of the crib are present and tight. When baby reaches 35 inches in height or can climb and/or fall over the sides, it's time for a toddler bed.
Crib Toys
Parents always want their kids to be occupied — even when they're tucked away in their cribs. But crib toys need to be limited to just a few that are chosen with care, if they have to have any at all. Toys with strings with loops or openings should never be dangling near the crib. If you use a crib gym, remove it when the child is able to pull or push up on her hands and knees or reaches five months of age, whichever comes first. Toys with small components are a choking hazard and should never be left in a crib. Never leave large stuffed animals or pillow-like stuffed toys and other soft products in a crib with a sleeping baby.
