Disclaimer: This material is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor does it replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or health care professional. Reference to a specific commercial product or service does not imply endorsement or recommendation of that product or service by CPCMG.
When purchasing a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards.
New Safety Standards
Prohibits drop-side rails and requires stronger parts and hardware.
State that slats should be no more than 2 ⅜ inches apart.
For more information, visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
Older Cribs
Check with the manufacturer to see if it offers hardware to keep the drop side from moving.
Make sure the hardware is tight and no parts are broken or missing.
If possible, purchase a new crib that meets the stronger standards.
Examining Your Crib
Check for cracked or peeling paint.
Don’t use the crib if the paint is chipped or cracked.
All surfaces should be covered with lead-free paint safe for nursery furniture.
All joints and parts should fit tightly.
Wood must be smooth and free of splinters.
The end panels should be solid, without decorative cutouts. Cutout areas on panels can trap an infant’s head.
Crib sides should be at least 26 inches above the mattress support in its lowest position.
All hardware, including screws, bolts, nuts, plastic parts, etc, should be present and the original equipment.
Never substitute original parts with something from a hardware store.
If parts are missing, damaged or broken, stop using the crib. Contact the crib manufacturer for replacements.
The mattress should be the same size as the crib so there are no gaps to trap arms, body, or legs.
If you can fit more than 2 fingers between the mattress and the side of the crib, the crib and mattress combination should not be used.
Using Your Crib
Check to see if your crib has been recalled at US Consumer Product Safety Commissions recall section.
Read and follow the directions to set up, use, and care for the crib.
Never place anything under the crib mattress to prop it up on one end.
The mattress should be at its lowest point before the baby can stand.
Children should be taken out of a crib by the time they are 35 inches tall.
Never place a crib near cords from a hanging window blind or drapery.
Be sure to inspect every crib your child uses for safety—those at the grandparent’s home, the babysitter’s home, or the childcare center.
Do not install hammocks and other swinging devices onto a crib- they are at risk for strangulation
When your child can pull themself to standing, remove any large toys that could be used as steps.
Crib Mobiles
Hang crib toys (ex: mobiles, crib gyms) out of the baby’s reach.
Babies can become injured and caught in them.
Remove mobiles when your baby can push up on their hands and knees or when your baby is 5 months old, whichever comes first.
Portable Cribs and Play Yards
Never leave the side of a mesh play yard lowered because a baby can become trapped and suffocate in the mesh.
Never add extra padding or use a mattress that did not come in the box with the play yard.
If your playpen has a raised changing table, always remove the changing table when your child is in the playpen.
Inspect your play yard
Children who are teething often bite off chunks of the vinyl or plastic that cover the top rails. Check them regularly for tears and holes. If the tears are small, repair them with heavy-duty cloth tape; if they are more extensive, you may need to replace the rails.
Be sure that a playpen’s mesh is free of tears, holes, or loose threads and that the openings are less than 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) across, so that your child cannot get caught in it. The mesh should be securely attached to the top rail and floor plate. If staples are used, they should not be missing, loose, or exposed
Safe Bedding Practices for Children
Room share
Keep your baby’s crib in the same room where you sleep for the first year.
Place your baby’s crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard in your bedroom, close to your bed.
Place your baby on their back on a firm, tight-fitting mattress in their crib.
Place babies to sleep on a flat surface.
All fabrics in your baby's room (for example, sleepwear, sheets, curtains) should be flame retardant.
Do not use pillows, bumper pads, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys, other soft products, or any objects that could increase the risk of suffocation or strangulation.
You may use a sleeper or other sleep clothing instead of blankets, with no other covering.
Make sure your baby’s head remains uncovered during sleep.
Do not place your baby on a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress, or pillow, or other soft surfaces.
Soft surfaces can lead to suffocation.
For More Information Regarding Sleep: Safe Sleep and Your Baby
This publication was adapted from information from the American Academy of Pediatrics Patient Education materials.
Reviewed by: CPCMG Newborn Committee, SC MD 06/2024