Preventing accidents and injuries in your baby’s crib

Preventing accidents and injuries in your baby’s crib

In other articles on this site, we have discussed how to lower your baby’s risk of SIDS.  In addition to taking measures to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS, there are a number of other things you should also keep in mind in order to keep your baby safe in their crib.  Accidents do sometimes happen, but there are precautions you can take to minimize the risk.

– Be sure that cords from items such as blinds, laundry bags, or electronics (including baby monitors) are not within reach of the crib, as a baby could get tangled and strangle.  Also check your entire house for cords that could potentially get wrapped around your baby’s neck, and remove them from reach.

– Do not attach any kind of cord, string, or yarn to pacifiers that are placed in the crib, as they could get wrapped around a baby’s neck or other body parts.

– If you have hanging mobiles over the crib with strings or cords that the child could become entangled in, remove the mobile once the baby can reach it.

– Check your crib and portable crib models for any recalls.

– Use only mattresses for your crib or portable crib that are provided by the manufacturer to ensure proper fit.

– Do not let your baby sleep on a sofa or waterbed, or any soft surface.

– Be careful that nothing with a sharp edge or corner is near your baby when they are sleeping.

– Make sure nothing is hanging on the walls within reach of your baby that could fall off or be pulled off and injure your child.

Taking all these measures will help to improve the safety of your crib for your baby.