Your baby’s bedroom and crib or bed should be extra safe. Her crib and—once she’s mobile—her room are where she will first push the boundaries of exploration, without direct supervision much of the time. To keep the path clear, her surroundings should be free of traps and hazards as much as possible.Safety Check for All Baby FurnitureCheck that all furniture complies with up-to-date safety requirements and is appropriate for your baby’s age. This is especially important when you are using previously owned pieces bought or passed on as gifts. Antique cribs, for example, may look pretty, but the spacing between the slats rarely conforms to the current standard of 2 3/8 inches or less, which is intended to make it impossible for a baby’s head to become caught. In addition, the finish may include old layers of lead‑based paint. You can trust new furniture if it bears the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association safety certification seal. All fabrics used in your baby’s room (for example, sleepwear, sheets, curtains) should be flame retardant.
How to Choose a Safe CribBars should be spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart.The mattress should be very firm and should not sag under your baby’s weight. It should fit snugly, with no space between it and the crib walls.The top of the crib rail should be at least 26 inches from the top of the mattress. Periodically lower the mattress as your child gets taller.The headboards and footboards should be solid, with no decorative cutouts. Corner posts that could cause injury or snag clothing should be removed.Do not use cribs with drop rails. These are not safe.Crib bumpers (or bumper pads) may seem as though they can help protect babies from drafts and bumps, but they should not be used in cribs. There is no evidence that bumper pads can prevent serious injuries, and they pose a risk of suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment. In addition, older babies can use them for climbing out of the crib.Keep large toys and stuffed animals out of the crib, as your baby may use them to get a leg up and over the rail.
Pillows, bulky comforters, and heavy blankets do not belong in a crib; a baby can smother under them.Place the crib away from windows, where direct sunlight and drafts can make your baby uncomfortable. A crib can become uncomfortably hot if placed too near a radiator. Also make sure that there are no strings from blinds or curtains close by that can wrap around the baby’s neck.Once your child is about 3 feet tall, he should start sleeping in a bed. If you are worried about him falling out of bed, you may want to start with the mattress on the floor.Fit your baby’s crib with a firm mattress and make sure there’s no space between the mattress and crib walls. Your baby should never sleep on a water bed, sheepskin, pillow, sofa, armchair, or other soft surface. Thick blankets, duvets, comforters, pillows, and large, soft, stuffed toys should never be used in babies’ cribs; a baby can easily be smothered if trapped under bulky bedding or when his face is pressed up against a pillow.Babies do not need extra support, such as from rolled blankets or commercial devices, to keep them on their backs.
Cumbersome materials like these clutter up the crib and may be hazardous for a baby.And you thought choosing a name was hard.Navigating the maze of crib mattresses involves more than noting your crib's measurements and heading to the nearest baby store -- especially if you're concerned about the chemical makeup of your child's bed.), for pointers on choosing a mattress that lets you all sleep soundly (albeit in two-hour increments). Lunder has a master's of public health from the University of California, Berkeley, and specializes in the risks posed to children's health by toxins and pesticides. Her three tips:Avoid vinyl: This is not easy, as the vast majority of crib mattresses are covered in vinyl for water resistance. But it's Lunder's No. 1 priority.Vinyl is a hard plastic (PVC) with chemical plasticizers (often phthalates) added for flexibility. Many environmental and health professionals question the safety of PVC and phthalates, which may damage the liver, increase the risk of asthma and act as endocrine disrupters.
A couple of options: Naturepedic mattresses are covered in polyethylene, a waterproof plastic used in food packaging and lauded for its non-toxic properties. , they range in price from $259 to $399. IKEA mattresses are covered in a cotton/polyester blend and range from $39.99 to $79.99. For mattress covers, Lunder recommends cotton, wool or water-resistant polypropylene, which emits fewer toxic chemicals than vinyl.Know your chemicals: Because polyurethane foam, which many mattresses are stuffed with, is so flammable, chemical fire retardants are added to meet safety standards. True, your child won't be smoking in bed (nor are you likely to leave a burning cigarette in a crib), but the laws are in place to protect children who play with matches or lighters.Some manufacturers use brominated flame retardants, which are banned in several states. Others use less toxic chemicals, and still others stuff their mattresses with materials that aren't as flammable (such as cotton) and require fewer retardants.
But finding out what a specific manufacturer does is no small feat."It's hard to deal with as a consumer issue because manufacturers are all doing pretty similar things," says Lunder. "A lot of things advertised as natural may be on some level, but they may not be free of fire retardants."Your best option, Lunder says, is to air out the mattress before your child sleeps on it."When you buy a new couch or a new mattress, it smells very intensely from the curing of the foam," Lunder says. "Leave it out in the garage or in a different room until you can't smell that chemical smell anymore."Look beyond "organic": Don't focus too much on "organic cotton filling.""The idea that pesticides from the cotton are getting to your kid is not that likely," Lunder says.However, she notes, a mattress filled with cotton will likely contain fewer chemicals than one filled with foam and is obviously better for the environment. Princess Grace`s Fatal Crash: Her Daughter`s AccountNew Owner Demolishes O.j. Simpson MansionPain relievers: What are the differences?