Crib safety puts the spotlight on more than just the crib! It focus on the crib mattress, baby crib bedding, crib bumper safety, soft toys, mobiles, and any other object that may be hazardous to your tiny baby. Baby monitors, such as AngelCare, play an important role in baby crib safety, by offering a way to be aware of sound and movement in the crib, when you are not with your little one.
Crib Safety And Crib Mattress Caveats
The crib mattress must be firm to the touch, and should fit snugly inside the base of the crib. The crib safety rule of thumb, so to speak, is that the gap around the crib mattress should be less than two adult fingers, to avoid the risk of suffocation. Never use a plastic covering on the crib mattress. Doing so, will introduce a very real suffocation hazard.
There seems to be no clear indication that either a coil or a foam crib mattress, is preferable with regards to crib safety. Just make sure that the mattress you purchase, is of a superior quality. It should be hypo-allergenic, to prevent an infant allergy. Compliance with Federal regulations as far as flammability is concerned, is another vital aspect of baby crib safety.
It is safer not to use a second-hand crib mattress. Rather save a few dollars on baby nursery accessories, and buy the best coil or foam crib mattress you can afford.
Crib Safety And Bedding, Bumpers, And Bouncy Things
A crib bumper adds softness to the crib, gives it a snug look, and adds to the nursery decor. However, its cute design can hide a potential hazard. For crib bumper safety, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that it fits right around the crib, and ties or snaps securely into place.
If the ties are too long, they should be trimmed, to remove any possibility of entanglement, or strangulation. Once the baby can pull himself up, the crib bumper should be removed from the crib. Some baby crib safety experts even recommend removing them, together with any soft toys, whenever the baby goes to sleep.
Also note that no soft bedding, such as a pillow or folded quilt, should ever be placed underneath an infant. If you have a baby swaddle blanket, check that it is completely safe, and that you are using it correctly.
Be sure not to hang any toy, mobile, or nursery accessory from a cord close to the crib, or from the crib itself. Cords attached to toys should always be removed as part of baby crib safety. Crib gyms must be securely anchored, so that they can never be pulled into the crib.
Never, ever tie a pacifier around a baby's neck. Remove bibs before placing an infant in its baby crib.
Employing AngelCare For Additional Crib Safety
Crib safety is further enhanced with the help of a baby monitor, such as the Angel Care Baby Monitor, or the BT digital baby monitor. Read baby monitor reviews in parenting magazines for news about the latest technology, and reviews of monitors with the best safety and performance records.
The Angel Care Baby Monitor AC301 is both a movement and sound monitor. The AngelCare sensor that detects movement, is placed underneath the crib mattress. The sensor features adjustable sensitivity, and sounds the crib safety alarm after any 20 second pause during which it detects no movement. The AngelCare Baby Monitor gives you the option of a movement 'tic' sound. Sound lights are used to display sounds.
Baby monitors are also available from Tomy, Fisher Price, Sony, and other well-known manufacturers of baby care products.
It is sensible to do extensive internet research to verify crib safety measures. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as a number of other organizations, offer free child safety advice. Our article on baby crib safety highlights some of the baby furniture safety aspects.
