Safety Considerations when Buying a Crib

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A crib will safeguard your baby when you arenot there; therefore, it is important to get a quality piece offurniture that is safe and meets all safety standards. Beyond that,there are a number of options available.
First, you should look at the safety of thecrib. According to BabyCenter, you should find one that has the Juvenile ProductsManufacturing Association certification. Moreover, the size of theframe is also a safety concern. Crib slats or bars should be 2 3/8inches apart or smaller. If they are wider, then there may be concernabout the child fitting a body part through and getting caught. You also want to make sure that any corner posts are no higher than 1/16inch because they otherwise can pose a choking hazard if kids gettheir clothing stuck on them.
To ensure that you get the safest crib, buya new one that meets all of the current standards set forth by the government. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also publishes information about crib safety. If used cribs do not conform to updated safety standards, they may be hazardous. For instance, in the past, many of the cribs had a side that slid down (drop sidecrib). They found that this was a hazard and no longer make that style.
Of course, the crib needs to be very stable and should not be wobbly. Remember that as your child grows older, he or she will start to shake it, and you do not want it collapsing under the stress. Crib mattresses should alsofit correctly, according to Consumer Reports. Furthermore, the crib mattress should fit snuggly and conform to legal size requirements. If it is too small, which you can measure by seeing if you can fit two fingers between the mattress and the crib, then it poses a veryserious risk to babies.
You may want a crib that offers certain features. For instance, convertible cribs areused as both cribs and toddler beds. Think about whether you will really use this. You also may want to consider the look of the crib.Some parents will literally spend ten times the price for a fancybrand name crib. Remember that you will only have this item for a fewyears, so consider how much you want to spend. You can usually get avery safe one for a reasonable price.
Keep in mind, cribsthat come with a lot of added embellishments may actually pose moreof a danger because a piece might become a choking or strangulation hazard. Of course, once you have the crib, use it safely. Do not put anything in there with your newborn, such as a crib bumper, blankets,pillows, dolls or toys because they pose a danger according to Georgetown University’s National SUID/SIDS Resource Center. Bypicking the right crib and using it correctly, you will protect yourchild.