Measure the spaces between the slats on the crib. They should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. A child can attempt to slip through wider slats and become stuck, posing a danger of strangulation or choking.
Once you decide on a crib, be sure to buy the proper accessories that will also ensure safety. For instance, be sure that your mattress fits snuggly into the crib without space on the sides. Gaps between the mattress and crib can lead to suffocation. The mattress should also be very firm to help avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Also, consider hiring a professional babyproofer for your home.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today is releasing a report warning consumers that used cribs are responsible for about 50 infant deaths a year. CPSC released these findings this morning at a press conference with representatives of industry and children's safety organizations.
Our message is simple but vital," CPSC chairman Ann Brown said. "The best investment you can make for your baby is a crib that meets all of CPSC's standards."
According to CPSC's report, cribs account for more deaths of infants than any other nursery item. About three-fourths of the victims were under one year of age with virtually all victims under age two. Most of the incidents occurred in the child's home rather than in daycare or at other locations.
In most cases, infants strangled or suffocated when they became trapped in the crib side or end that had separated from the rest of the crib because of loose or missing hardware. Some infants became trapped between an undersized mattress and the side of the crib, in gaps created by missing or improperly attached mattress supports, or in areas between broken or improperly spaced slats. Others strangled when clothing or items around their neck became entangled on the crib corner posts or crib hardware.
The majority of cribs involved in these incidents were previously owned or used. Parents and caregivers reported obtaining these used cribs as "hand-me-downs" gifts from friends and relatives or by purchasing them at yard sales, flea markets, and used furniture stores.
Beginning in 1973, CPSC and industry have worked together setting standards for safer cribs that addressed side height, slat spacing, mattress fit, corner posts, and cutouts in crib end panels. Since these standards have been in place, infant deaths in cribs have declined from an estimated 150 to 200 a year to about 50.
"Government and industry are working together to make sure that the cribs you buy are safe. We're asking parents to do their part by making sure that the crib they use meets these standards," said Chairman Brown. "A crib is the one place where you should be able to safely leave your baby unattended. And since babies spend more time in cribs than any other furniture item, a crib must be safe."
Representatives of industry and consumers, including The Danny Foundation, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Consumer Federation of America, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Safe Kids Campaign, joined CPSC at the press conference. These groups are also promoting safe cribs with a national print campaign to reach millions of people that will be distributed by pediatricians, retailers, consumer groups and the public health community. Many of the groups involved in this program are sponsoring local community efforts to roundup and destroy unsafe used cribs. Used crib roundups are planned for San Francisco, Denver, Rochester, New York, and in Washington on September 16 at 10 a.m. in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School parking lot.
Participating retailers, such as Toys "R" US, will offer discounts on new cribs purchased during Baby Safety Month in September. Several crib manufacturers, such as Cosco, Simmons Juvenile Products, and Delta Enterprises, will donate new cribs to low-income families in the area.
CPSC recommends that cribs meet the following safety guidelines:
Many parents are opting to get their nursery furniture second-hand, to avoid having to spend a lot of money on items that won't be used for long. In the past few years, buy and sell groups have popped up all over social media, and there is certainly no shortage of people trying to pass on their used items. While many sellers have furniture that is in impeccable shape, some items might not have aged as well.
Ensuring that your second-hand crib is safe to use is very important before you put your baby in it to sleep. Visibly broken cribs or cribs that are missing pieces or screws should never be used. Cribs that appear to be older than 10 years old should also be skipped over, as they likely don't comply with the most recent US crib safety regulations. Here are a few things to look out for when second-hand crib-hunting!
Before you agree to purchase a second-hand crib, you will want to ask the seller if you can visit it in its assembled state. Buying a disassembled crib is not recommended, as you won't know if pieces are missing or if there are any warning signs that the crib is not in peak condition. If the buyer resists or declines this request, it's a fairly telling sign that they are trying to pass off a product that isn't in great condition.
When it comes to infant safety, it's certainly not worth taking this risk. So make sure the seller shows you the product before you agree to buy, and if all is well, you can disassemble the crib together. This is also a good way to understand the crib's mechanism and ask any questions.
If a second-hand crib is missing screws, bolts, or crib bars, it is not safe for an infant to sleep in. With IKEA and other build-it-yourself crib models, sometimes a screw goes astray, and the crib safety remains uncompromised. If, however, you are not assembling from the box, do not take the risk with missing screws.
You'll also want to give the crib a firm shake, just to see if there are any signs that it is not firmly secured. A crib should never be shaky or wobbly. It's not usually advised that parents reinforce cribs with their own hardware since anything that isn't an original part can actually pose a risk to your infant.
Before purchasing a second-hand crib, it's important that you check the list of recalled crib models so that you know you aren't buying a style that has already been identified as having safety issues. You can find the comprehensive list of crib model recalls online, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission also has a very good online document that walks you through the steps to ensure that your crib is optimally safe. More often than not, safety recalls are issued for cribs that have a removable side, or cribs that can later convert into toddler beds. A quick search will confirm whether or not the model you are looking at has been recalled.
While there's no guarantee that the seller will give you an honest answer on this, it's still a good idea to ask how many times the crib has been assembled and disassembled. If a crib has spent several seasons in a garage and has been assembled and disassembled and used by several children, you might want to take a pass on the sale. While some very good quality cribs can withstand being assembled many times, screws, nuts, and bolts can wear down over time, and will certainly not have the same security factor as they did on the first build. Be especially aware of IKEA cribs, which might have been assembled many times.
Even if you are buying a second-hand crib, you should consider buying a new mattress for your baby. Mattresses easily lose their firmness over time and can harbor a lot of germs (and in the worst cases, bed bugs, yikes!). The only exception would be if the seller used a mattress cover and the mattress appears to be in very good condition.
At around $20 a can, infant formula is one of the most expensive products on your baby items list. A quick search on websites that sell secondhand items reveals plenty of people selling infant formula. While the obvious risk of buying infant formula in this way is that it could be tainted, but there are other issues that even well-meaning people might not realize.
Playpens, play yards, or pack-n-plays are better off being purchased new to prevent safety hazards as well as minimize wear and tear. If you decide to buy a used playpen, make sure to pick one made after 2012, when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approved strict regulations for safety standards.
Cribs and crib mattresses are baby items that are best purchased new to minimize potential safety risks. Older cribs, particularly those with a drop rail feature, could present a safety hazard to newborns, infants, and toddlers.
I wonder if it's an older list, from earlier in the 2000's when there were still a lot of drop-sided cribs floating around?
Our rule for used stuff is to not buy anything with fabric/padding used--I've had bad surprises in some of our OWN stuff that was hidden. So we only get hard/wipeable surfaced things second hand. But a crib definitely counts!
Before buying a second-hand product, check with the manufacturer and Health Canada to see if it has been recalled. You can check for recalled items on the Health Canada Website: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/cps-recalls. If you discover that a product you bought has been recalled and the problem has not been corrected, destroy the product so it cannot be used by someone else, and throw it away.
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