When it comes to preparing and designing a nursery for your baby, there are many important decisions to make. From what color to paint the walls, to the type of changing table you choose, will shape your experience for the next few months and years. However, the nursery decision that is most important of all is crib safety. Newborn babies to six months old absolutely need a well-built crib or bassinet to keep them safe and sleeping comfortably at night.
Crib safety in your baby nursery design can be challenging for new parents, especially those welcoming their first baby. What should you put in the crib? Should your baby sleep with a blanket? What safety features are most important for a nursery crib? We will help you explore the most important points on how to make sure your baby is safe and happy in their crib.
Infants Should Sleep On Their Back in an Empty Crib
Items to Avoid in a Baby Crib
- Pillows and soft bumper pillows
- Blankets, sheets, or loose clothing
- Stuffed animals
- Inclined sleep pillows
- Any type of suffocation or choking hazard
Baby cribs look so cute piled high with stuffed animals and blankets. But for your baby’s safety, they should not actually sleep in a crib full of toys – or anything at all. Plush surfaces can pose a suffocation risk for infants.
It is an unfortunate truth that babies are at the greatest risk for SIDS in their cribs between one and four months old. Infants do not yet have full control of their arms, legs, or even their breathing. Babies may be in danger from tangling in blankets, swallowing stuffed animal buttons, or even falling into a pillow the wrong way. Avoid placing anything in the crib that could put your baby at risk, including cute stuffed animals or soft pillows.
You should also avoid placing your crib directly next to any windows with long drapes or pull cords. Babies grab at what is nearby and could get tangled in curtains.
How to Choose a Safe Crib For Your Baby’s Nursery
What Defines a Safe Crib for Babies
- Sturdy railings without a drop side rail
- Baby-proof railing distance
- No protruding nails or screws
- A very firm baby mattress
- Mattress fits snugly in the frame
- Tightly fitted bedsheets for the mattress
The best way to choose a safe crib is to make sure it meets specific safety requirements. A safe crib for infants needs to be sturdy, escape-proof, and minimize the risk of suffocation in soft bedding.
Every crib should have sturdy railings all the way round. The CPSC actually banned drop-side cribs because they often come loose and form a falling risk – or mechanical injury risk – for the baby. The railing should also have slats or poles close enough together that no baby can slip through – or get their head stuck. Also, inspect your crib to make sure there are no nails or screws protruding.
Avoid inclined sleepers and auto-rockers. Babies should not be left alone with these items, as they are not safe for unmonitored sleep.
As for the mattress, a baby mattress should be firm, not squishy. Look for the firmest baby mattress you can find. The mattress should also fit very snugly in the frame, so there is no risk of your baby falling into a gap or pulling the mattress up. You can use foam strips that are flush with the mattress to make a mattress fit more snugly, and velcro on the bottom to make sure a baby mattress is not pulled up and stays in place. On the mattress, make sure there is a waterproof liner and stock up on closely fitted elastic sheets – no top sheets for baby.
Babies Sleep Best On Their Backs in Soft Pajamas
How should your baby sleep? The best way for an infant to sleep is on their back. Your baby won’t need a loose blanket; it’s best to dress them warmly in soft pajamas, sometimes adding on swaddles, sleep bags or sleepers. These regulate a baby’s body heat and help them stay warm without a loose blanket, which could pose a risk of tangling or suffocation.
You can even find “smart” baby clothing that will monitor your baby’s vital signs and some can tell you if your baby has turned themselves over in the night. If so, simply lay your baby on their back again so they can safely go back to sleep. Another popular crib is the Snoo, smart sleeper bassinet, which snugly wraps your baby and rocks him or her to sleep. The Snoo helps automatically monitor and responds to your baby’s fussing.
Safe Crib Tips As Your Baby Grows
As your baby grows and becomes more active, you’ll want to make a few changes to keep their crib safe. Raise or remove a baby’s mobile when they begin to push up or at about 5 months old. This will keep them out of mischief. You will also be glad for the sturdy non-dropping crib frame when your baby begins to pull themselves around and discovers basic climbing.
At about 18-24 months old, your baby will be able to sleep safely with a pillow, and soon they will be ready for a toddler bed that can be filled with stuffed animals.
Designing your baby’s nursery is an exciting and inspiring time. OPENUU would be honored to be a part of that experience by helping you make your baby’s nursery as safe as it is beautiful.
Contact us today to learn more.