Newborn Baby Products / Cribs

When you're crib shopping, you may be tempted to buy the showiest model, and bumper guards and coverlets that say your nursery is fit for a prince or princess. Resist the temptation. The safest cribs are basic; they have simple lines and no scroll work or finials--infants can strangle if their clothing gets caught in such detail work. Heeding this advice will get you a safer crib and it will save you money.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the best sleeping arrangement for a newborn is a full-size crib or safety-approved bassinet or cradle; it advises keeping your baby's crib, cradle, or bassinet in your bedroom until she's at least 6 months old. After that, it's fine to move the crib to the nursery. But we think full-size cribs, which are federally regulated, are better than bassinets and cradles, for which there are only voluntary standards.

Place your baby's crib well away from windows, window blinds, wall hangings, curtains, toys, and other furniture so that an adventurous baby can't get at anything dangerous.

For safety's sake, monitor your child's development closely and stop using a crib as soon as your toddler can climb out. At that point, consider a bed with child railings or put the mattress on the floor. Don't put your child back into the crib after the first "escape," regardless of his age. A child attempting to climb out of a crib can fall and be seriously injured.

Graco Lauren 4-in-1 Dropside Convertible Crib
Natural

Buy new. If possible, avoid buying or accepting a used crib. Older models may not meet current safety standards or may be in disrepair. If you must use an older crib, avoid those built before 2000, about a year after the latest voluntary standards for slat-attachment strength took effect. (Check the manufacture date on the crib label, which is required by law.) Currently, 12 states have laws banning the sale of unsafe used cribs or prohibiting their use in child-care facilities. Your state may have such a law.

Decide about drop sides. Do you want a crib with both sides that drop so that you can get your baby from either side, a crib with one side that drops, or one with stationary sides? Deciding first about drop sides will narrow the selection and make shopping easier. If you're considering a crib with no drop sides--the most stable approach--be sure to test models in the store. Cribs with stationary sides have less hardware (less chance of missing or broken parts), but if you are not tall, it can be hard to get your baby. Use the mattress' lowest setting to see how easy it is for you to bend in and pick up your baby.

If you're shopping for a crib with drop sides, operate them in the store to make sure they raise and lower smoothly and quietly. Models that open with a lift-and-leg-press action or those with a lift-and-foot-release mechanism can usually be operated with one hand--an advantage when you've got a baby in the other. Still, you'll probably raise and lower the side of the crib only during the first few months. Once babies get bigger and stand up in the crib, many parents pick them up without lowering the side. So a crib that doesn't have the best drop-side mechanism but is satisfactory in other ways can still be a good option. Of course, if the crib will be against a wall, you'll have no use for a second drop side.

Check construction and workmanship. The simplest in-store test is to shake the crib slightly to see if the frame seems loose. But be aware that display models aren't always as tightly assembled as they could be. Without applying excessive pressure, try rotating each slat to see if it's well secured to the railings. You shouldn't find loose bars on a new crib.

Look for the JPMA sticker. Manufacturers in the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association certification program are required to adhere to voluntary and mandatory standards. Look for the JPMA sticker on the crib or packaging. JPMA currently certifies the following fu

Buy a new, full-size crib made after 2000 that is JPMA-certified or certified to meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voluntary standards (ASTM F-1169 and ASTM F-966). Certification assures you that the crib conforms to the latest federal and voluntary safety standards. Still, be on the lookout for safety hazards. Even when you're buying new, take along a soda can when you shop. If you can pass the can between the slats, they're too far apart. Check for sharp edges and protruding screws, nuts, corner posts, decorative knobs, and other pieces that could catch a baby's clothing at the neck. Buying new will help protect your baby from hidden dangers such as drop sides, slats, or hardware that may have been weakened by rough use, or excessive dampness or heat during storage. By law, the production date of the crib has to be displayed both on the crib and on its shipping carton.

Cribs are shipped unassembled, so if you're not certain you can put a crib together correctly (typically a two-person job that requires a full hour--from unpacking to complete assembly), ask the retailer to send a qualified assembly crew to your home. This can cost an extra $70 or more unless assembly is included in the retail price, but it can give you valuable peace of mind. Besides saving tempers and fingers, having the store assemble the crib allows you to inspect it on the spot--and reject it if you discover flaws.

If you assemble the crib, put it together where your baby will be sleeping initially, such as in your bedroom (recommended for your baby's first six months). Once it's put together, the crib may not fit through a small door, and you may need to dissemble and reassemble it again in your baby's nursery six months later. That's not convenient, but you'll have the reassurance that your baby is sleeping in the safest possible place.

Check all crib hardware from time to time and replace anything that's loose. Missing and loose parts are a leading cause of accidents and death because they can create gaps where a baby can wedge his head and neck, and suffocate or strangle. Tighten all nuts, bolts, and screws. Check mattress support attachments regularly to make sure none is bent or broken. If you move a crib, double-check that all support hangers are secure.