One of the biggest and most important items you will purchase for your new baby is a crib. Having a safe place to lay your infant down to sleep for the night or for naps is vitally important and serious business. When it comes to choosing the right crib to fit into your nursery, safety should always take precedence over style. Luckily, there are many styles of cribs that are available to meet both the proper safety concerns as well as your discerning taste in fashion. Whatever the chosen theme of your nursery may be, you can be sure you will be able to find a suitable crib to match.
When it comes to safety, there are a few important things to look out for. First and foremost, you’re going to need a solid, sturdy crib. While the trend in the last few years has leaned towards the convenience of drop side cribs, it has now been widely publicized that they are highly unsafe options. A drop side crib is one that features one side that has adjustable settings, allowing you to raise and lower it. The general idea being that you don’t have to bend over the railing to reach the baby. However, they have been deemed completely unsafe, and pose serious strangulation hazards. In fact, they have been banned altogether in several European countries.
Opt instead for a sturdy ad solid crib that does not have the drop side feature. Wooden cribs or metal ones can be your decision based on style taste. Both forms come in very safe styles. The spaces in between the bars should be close enough that a baby’s head cannot fit in between them, and the mattress should fit in the crib securely, without gaps in between the mattress and the railing.
Pediatricians also recommend leaving out the fluffy crib bumpers and comforters- at least for the first year. They pose a suffocation risk, and as adorable as they are, they simply are not the safest option. The best choice is to forego the bumpers and matching bedding sets, instead opting for a thin, tightly fitting sheet to cover the mattress with. To cover your baby, opt for a thin single blanket, and keep it away from mouth and face. Even better than a blanket are warm pajamas. The less items in the crib, the less danger. Stuffed animals and pillows are an absolute no!
