Cribs
The best beds for babies are full-size cribs. Cribs are covered by federal safety standards.
Shopping Tips tell you what to look for when you buy a crib.
Safety Tips tell how to use a crib safely.
Shopping Tips
- Buy a new crib if you can.
- Look for a sticker from JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association). Cribs with this sticker meet certain safety standards.
- Cribs with metal bars under the frame (known as mattress-support hangers) are the most solid.
- Cribs with sides that do not move are more stable than cribs with sides that go down. There is also less chance of parts breaking or falling off or hardware failure due to wear and tear.
- Buy the crib mattress when you buy the crib. Make sure it fits snugly. Otherwise, a baby may get trapped in the space between the mattress and the crib. You should not be able to put more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib frame.
If you get a used crib, make sure:
- It was made in 2000 or later. Look on the label for the date.
- It does not have any broken, missing, or loose slats, spindles, cornerposts, or hardware.
- Cornerposts are less than 1/16 inch. Otherwise, clothing could get caught and your baby could be strangled.
- The paint is not peeling or cracking.
- There are no splinters or rough edges.
- It does not have cutout designs in the headboard or footboard.
Safety Tips
- Always place your baby on his back to sleep, unless your health care provider tells you not to.
- Dress your baby in a sleep sack or pajamas with feet.
- Do not use an electric blanket or heating pad. A baby’s skin burns easily.
- Only use a sheet made specifically for a crib.
- If you feed your baby in your bed, put her back in her crib to sleep. Do not let her sleep in your bed. You could roll over on her, or she could fall off or suffocate.
- Do not put your baby to sleep on a sofa, waterbed, quilt, sheepskin, pillow, or soft mattress. He could fall or suffocate.
More safety tips
- Do not use bumpers or any type of soft bedding in the crib.
- Do not use sleep positioners. They do not have to meet any safety standards.
- Do not use co-sleepers. These are baby beds that attach to the adult bed. They do not have to meet any safety standards.
For more information, visit Babies & Kids on the Consumers Report Web site.
June 2008
Copyright 2008, Consumers Union of United States, Inc. All rights reserved. No redistribution allowed.
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