Crib Safety for Babies

The safety of your baby, while left unattended in his crib, is always a concern. You can ensure your child’s safety by taking safeguards to avoid accidents. These are among the things you can do:

• Ensure that the crib rails are high enough to prevent your baby from climbing over them. Do not leave pillows or mattresses that can make it easy for him to climb over.
  
• Ensure that you place your child’s crib a safe distance from any windows. The curtain cords could pose a risk of strangling. If you do decide to have the crib within reach of the window, remove the cords, or use safety tassles or some other device so that your baby cannot reach for them.
  
• Always keep the side of the crib that drops pulled up and fastened to prevent your baby falling. This is, of course, especially crucial when the baby is alone and unattended.
  
• When your child starts using a bed, ensure that it has guardrails to prevent falls.
  
• Dress your baby in snugly fitting clothes. Clothes that fit loosely increase the risk of catching fire and burn more easily. Always buy flame resistant clothes. However, if you purchase clothes that are not flame resistant, (with yellow tag labels), ensure that they fit snugly.
  
• Install a smoke detector in your child’s room near the crib. Remember to put in new batteries about once every year.