Crib Safety Ratings - How To Keep Your Baby Safe

A crib is the first place your infant stays when he or she comes home from the hospital. It is estimated that an average baby may spend as much as 6,000 hours sleeping during the first year alone. The majority of that time is usually spent in the crib. It is important to provide a safe place for your baby to sleep. Crib safety ratings have been developed through the years to provide information to the consumer before purchasing an infant crib.

Crib safety ratings or standards have been enforced in the United States since 1973 and continue to be updated regularly. Cribs manufactured after 1986 most certainly comply with crib safety standards. It is important, however, to know what to look for in a crib.

Shopping for a new crib

When shopping for a crib for your new baby be sure to keep certain safety standards in mind. First, check the distance between the slats. Slats should be no more than 2+3/8 inches apart. If they are any wider an infant can accidentally become stuck between the slats.

To keep the infant from falling out of the crib the drop sides should be at least 9 inches above the mattress when the sides are lowered. Also, when the sides are raised the top of the side must be at least 26 inches above the support at its lowest setting.

Other safety concerns include the stability of the crib. Check the model to see if it is secure. Test out all the features. Ensure that the head and foot ends do not have cutout areas that could pose a hazard (slats are fine). The crib mattress should fit snugly into the crib frame. If you can slip more than 2 fingers between the mattress and the side of the crib frame the mattress does not fit properly and could pose a safety threat to the baby.

Keep these concerns in mind when shopping for baby cribs. Be careful when using older hand-me-down cribs as they may not meet the proper safety standards. When assembling the crib be sure to follow directions accurately and test the crib before using it.

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