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Crib Safety

Table of Contents


Overview

What are crib safety standards?

Strict guidelines for crib construction help prevent many accidents. If a crib doesn't meet current safety standards, your baby may be injured.

A properly constructed crib has:

Don't use an old crib. And if a crib has missing or broken parts, don't use the crib and don't try to fix it yourself. Get a crib that doesn't need any repairs. Go to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website at www.cpsc.gov to learn more.

Keeping your child safe in a crib

The crib is the one place where babies and young children are regularly left unsupervised. So it's important to be aware of the common crib hazards.

To help keep your child safe, use recommended equipment properly and update features of the crib as your child grows. Go to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website at www.cpsc.gov to learn more.

Crib-related injuries are also caused by unsafe or improperly used accessories. And injuries can also occur as your child grows bigger.

Here are some ways you can avoid common crib hazards.

Movable side rails are a safety hazard, and new cribs are no longer made with them. If your crib has the kind of side rail that can be raised and lowered, always raise it and secure it properly when your child is in the crib.


Credits for Crib Safety

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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