Put Safety First When Picking Baby Essentials

A CHECKLIST FOR NEW PARENTS

Choosing which furniture and accessories to buy for your baby can be difficult, especially since there are so many options these days. One of the most important criteria for selecting cribs, high chairs and other equipment is safety.







The Straight Story on
Hand-Me-Downs

Family hand-me-downs, thrift shops and yard sales are a great resource for new parents, but many older items (even beloved family heirlooms) fail to meet safety standards and can put your child at risk of injury or death.

Buyer Beware!

Before you buy or accept any used item, make sure you review the RESALE ROUND-UP of Unsafe Products Most Commonly Found in Resale Stores from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The following is a checklist of specific products you’ll need to budget for and some safety considerations to keep in mind when you shop.

 

  • Cribs and Mattresses

  • High Chairs

  • Playpens & Portable Cribs

  • Strollers & Carriages

  • Car Seats

  • Infant Bath Tubs

  • Safety Gates

  • What the Safety Stickers Mean

  • Outfitting Your Newborn


    Cribs and Mattresses
    Make sure that your baby’s crib has:

    • vertical slats spaced no more than 2-3/8 inches apart.
    • no missing or cracked slats.
    • a mattress that fits snugly, with less than two finger widths between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib.
    • mattress supports that are securely attached to the head and foot boards.
    • corner posts no higher than 1/16 inch to prevent entanglement of clothing or other objects worn by a child. (Posts are 16 inches or higher for a canopy.)
    • no cutouts in the head or foot boards in which the baby’s head could become trapped.
    • drop-side latches that securely hold the sides in the raised position and cannot be released by the baby.
    • all the necessary screws and bolts needed to secure the components of the crib.

    Warning: Do not place the crib near draperies or blinds where a child can become entangled in the cords. Also, when a child reaches 35 inches in height or can climb and/or fall over the sides, replace the crib with a bed.

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