Congratulations to all expectant mothers and all those who have delivered their beautiful babies!
Once your babies have arrived, one of the most important parts of your new lives together will be getting a good night’s sleep — you in your respective beds, the babies in their safe and comfortable baby furniture cribs. At first, you may want your newborns to sleep in bassinets by your beds, making it a little easier for breastfeeding moms, but have your respective baby furniture cribs ready by the time your babies can roll over.
Your babies will spend more time in their cribs than anywhere else, so safety is of utmost importance. What makes baby furniture cribs safe?
* The bars or slats of the crib railing should be no more than 2-3/8" apart, close enough together to prevent your baby’s head from slipping through or getting stuck. That baby furniture crib in the attic may be a beautiful antique, but it probably does not meet this safety standard. Secondhand older cribs for babies may also have splinters or lead paint as well as slats that are too far apart.
* Cribs with cutout designs along the rail may look pretty, but your baby’s arm or neck could get stuck in them.
* The baby furniture cribs must be sturdy. Your child will sleep in a crib until it’s time to move into a regular bed between the ages of 2 and 3. When shopping for the crib, give it a good shake to see if it wobbles or rattles.
* Construction materials should be stained or painted hardwoods like maple, ash, beech or oak. The use of inferior woods can potentially weaken or warp the slats. Some metal baby furniture cribs are also very sturdy and secure. All finish materials must be lead free and non-toxic.
* For safety, the dropsides must be at least 9" above the mattress support when lowered. When the side is raised, the top must be at least 26" above the support at its lowest position. You should have no trouble quietly raising and lowering the side rail easily with one hand, since chances are you’ll have a sleeping baby in your arms.
* Make things a little easier on your back by choosing baby furniture cribs with adjustable height mattress. A newborn can rest higher in the crib, while a baby who can sit up needs a lower mattress so he can’t climb out. You can change the height of most mattresses by simply raising or lowering the mattress support.
* Check the hardware on the baby furniture crib for sharp edges or points or anything else that could hurt your baby.
* The mattress should fit snugly into the crib. If you can fit two fingers between the side of the mattress and the baby furniture cribs, it is too small. Keep an eye on foam mattresses; over time, they may break down at the edges and leave gaps. Check the mattress support to make sure there are safety clips that lock the hangers into their notches.
* Use nonflammable and hypoallergenic bumper padding attached to the inside railings of the crib to cushion all four sides and prevent your baby from sticking an arm or leg through the railings. Securely fasten the bumper pads to the sides of the baby furniture cribs in at least six places. Be sure to remove bumper pads when your baby becomes more active.
* Follow assembly instructions carefully. Periodically tighten all nuts, bolts, and screws and check teething rails for cracks. Check the mattress support hooks regularly.
* Don’t place baby furniture cribs against a window, near curtains or drapery cords, or near furniture that could help your baby climb out.
* Crib toys need to be removed from the crib when baby is sleeping. And remove mobiles when baby is able to grab at objects.
In the United States, Federal safety guidelines went into effect in 1973, but only since 1991 do most cribs meet all mandatory safety standards (16CFR part 1508) as set by The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the voluntary standards (ASTM F966 and F1169) as set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The Juvenile Products Manufacturers’ Association (JPMA) in the U.S. certifies baby furniture cribs that meet the safety standards.
Baby Furniture Cribs
Before you go looking at baby furniture cribs you should determine your budget. A good idea is to have a price range to work with. This will allow for more choices in the long run.
The main concern you should have whether you are buying new baby furniture cribs or used ones is that the cribs must meet government standards. When you put the baby crib together be sure to do so according to the manufacturer’s directions to ensure the greatest amount of safety for your child. It should also be used properly.
Safety concerns include the mattress. The mattress must be firm and tight fitting and there should be no missing or broken hardware. There should be no missing or loose slats in the baby furniture cribs. The slats should not be any more than 2 3/8 inches apart - about the width of a soda can. There should be no cutouts in the foot or headboards. If there are corner posts they should be no more than a sixteenth of an inch above the foot or head bar.
Drop sides on a baby furniture crib is very convenient and is probably the most used feature on any crib. Fixed sides do not have the drop down feature and is great for tall people or those who will only be occasionally using the crib.
Most parents opt for single drop down sided baby furniture cribs that allow them to easily lift the baby out of the crib or to place him in the crib. This is especially convenient if your crib is placed against the wall. Double drop down sided cribs are a popular option among those parents who have room to place the crib so it’s not against the wall.
There are several ways in which drop sides can be lowered. There is the knee push lever and all you have to do is lean your knee against the crib side and it will drop. This is convenient if you have your baby in your arms.
The knee push sides may be the most common type available. Another common type is the foot bar. You balance on one foot and push the bar down with the other to lower the side. There is the double trigger drop mechanism. There are levers on both ends of the crib and you need both hands free to use them. You squeeze the triggers and then the side will drop. The problem with this type is that if you have the baby in your arms it will be next to impossible to operate.
The wheels on baby furniture cribs are a great asset because it makes the crib easier to move to clean under or retrieve dropped toys as well as changing bedding. Make sure the casters are strong and turn easily. If you don’t think you will need them you can put them aside in case you change your mind.
There are adjustable mattress heights available on all baby furniture cribs with the exception of the cheapest models of cribs. The three position option is available and is the wisest choice. Two height position are acceptable. Single height mattress is not a safe choice because as your child grows the mattress should be lowered to prevent him from climbing out of the crib or toppling out of the crib.
You should look at the mattress supports as well. Some have vinyl straps that could wear out and break while others have metal bar supports which is a better option for baby furniture cribs. The best option however is a metal spring system where the entire mattress is supported and is the most durable of the three options.
The main concern you should have whether you are buying new baby furniture cribs or used ones is that the cribs must meet government standards. When you put the baby crib together be sure to do so according to the manufacturer’s directions to ensure the greatest amount of safety for your child. It should also be used properly.
Safety concerns include the mattress. The mattress must be firm and tight fitting and there should be no missing or broken hardware. There should be no missing or loose slats in the baby furniture cribs. The slats should not be any more than 2 3/8 inches apart - about the width of a soda can. There should be no cutouts in the foot or headboards. If there are corner posts they should be no more than a sixteenth of an inch above the foot or head bar.
Drop sides on a baby furniture crib is very convenient and is probably the most used feature on any crib. Fixed sides do not have the drop down feature and is great for tall people or those who will only be occasionally using the crib.
Most parents opt for single drop down sided baby furniture cribs that allow them to easily lift the baby out of the crib or to place him in the crib. This is especially convenient if your crib is placed against the wall. Double drop down sided cribs are a popular option among those parents who have room to place the crib so it’s not against the wall.
There are several ways in which drop sides can be lowered. There is the knee push lever and all you have to do is lean your knee against the crib side and it will drop. This is convenient if you have your baby in your arms.
The knee push sides may be the most common type available. Another common type is the foot bar. You balance on one foot and push the bar down with the other to lower the side. There is the double trigger drop mechanism. There are levers on both ends of the crib and you need both hands free to use them. You squeeze the triggers and then the side will drop. The problem with this type is that if you have the baby in your arms it will be next to impossible to operate.
The wheels on baby furniture cribs are a great asset because it makes the crib easier to move to clean under or retrieve dropped toys as well as changing bedding. Make sure the casters are strong and turn easily. If you don’t think you will need them you can put them aside in case you change your mind.
There are adjustable mattress heights available on all baby furniture cribs with the exception of the cheapest models of cribs. The three position option is available and is the wisest choice. Two height position are acceptable. Single height mattress is not a safe choice because as your child grows the mattress should be lowered to prevent him from climbing out of the crib or toppling out of the crib.
You should look at the mattress supports as well. Some have vinyl straps that could wear out and break while others have metal bar supports which is a better option for baby furniture cribs. The best option however is a metal spring system where the entire mattress is supported and is the most durable of the three options.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)