Cribs are meant to keep babies safe. Unfortunately this is not always true.
Recently the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously in favor of new proposed mandatory standards for cribs. The new rules will render most cribs in the United States as not up to code. Drop-side cribs will be basically banned.
Many hotels, motels and child-care facilities will have to purchase new cribs for their businesses. This will better protect their customers and their babies.
Entrapment is one of the most common ways in which a crib can be dangerous. Newborns are so tiny that they can become trapped in the sides or slats of the crib. Suffocation is another dangerous problem with some cribs. If the bedding is too soft it may cut off the air supply of the baby.
Several ways to protect babies while they are in cribs are:
- It is always a good idea to use close-fitting clothing and blankets that are secure;
- Use bumper padding so that the baby is not hurt when they roll to the sides;
- Never use a crib that has drop sides on it;
- Do not put toys or stuffed animals in the cribs;
- Keep the cribs as low to the ground as possible; and
- Make sure that any crib that you use has not been recalled for any reason.