Crib Safety Recommendations
by: Michael Wangner
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a terrible thing to contemplate, however there are things parents can do do reduce their child's risk of accidental suffocation. Here are some of the suggested precautions for crib-safety..continued below
If using a blanket, it is best to place your infant with his or her
feet nearly touching one end of the crib, then tuck the blanket in at
the foot and the sides allowing it to cover no farther than your
baby's chest. Using a sleeper instead of a blanket may further reduce
any risk of danger. Your child should sleep on his or her back in a
crib with a firm, tightly fitting mattress. This is to prevent your
child from becoming trapped between the sides of the crib and the
mattress. Do not put pillows, comforters, quilts, bumper pads or
stuffed toys in the crib with your child. Only use fitted sheets that
are made for cribs and fit the mattress properly.
Be sure there are no loose or poorly installed brackets, screws or
other hardware on the crib or mattress support. The corner posts
should not be taller than 1/16th of an inch high to prevent the
infant's clothing from getting caught and there should not be any
cutouts on the headboard or footboard where your child's head might
become trapped. The slats of the crib should be no more than 2 1/4
inches apart so that the baby cannot squeeze through. Never use a crib
with missing or damaged slats.
If you plan to use a crib with mesh sides, don't use anything with
mesh larger than 1/4 inch because the buttons from your infant's
clothing could get caught. If the crib or playpen was manufactured
using staples, just be sure none of them are missing, loose or
sticking out. Check the tops and bottoms on all sides to be certain
the mesh is securely attached and make sure there are no rips or holes
in the rail cover along the top especially. Always check for damaged
mesh and do not use the crib or playpen if there are holes or loose
threads.
By taking the above precautions you can reduce the chance of your
child having an accident, and that will help just about any parent
sleep a little better at night.
About The Author
Michael Wangner consults for a firm in the furniture industry that offers http://www.metroguardian.net/shop/leather-cleaner-c-1.html and http://www.metroguardian.net/shop/ products for sofas and chairs.
Source: Article City
